


Before Any Sunshine

by TheFloralFox



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Background Relationships, Friendship, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, POV First Person, Romance, basically everyone makes at least a cameo, growing relationship, mover au, recycle shop AU, trucker AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:00:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 93,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26922526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFloralFox/pseuds/TheFloralFox
Summary: Professional mover Kageyama Tobio is in for a real ride when he's stuck with unwanted guest Hinata Shouyou and all his secondhand cargo. Being on the road with someone for eight days could either be torture for the king of the road, or exactly what he's been missing. (First person POV)
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 41
Kudos: 64





	1. Empty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my first Haikyuu!! fanfic :D If you’re unfamiliar with my works, here are the basics: this entire fic has already been written; it's twenty first-person POV chapters; I post every Monday and check my inbox every Thursday to return comments. I think that’s pretty much it? Anyway, this is mainly Kags POV and everyone is aged up to be in their mid-late twenties. Oh, I almost forgot: there’s a minor injury with mention of blood around halfway through this chapter, but it’s very minor!

My truck is the only home I've known for a long time. As soon as I could hit the road on my own, I got a job with Blue Castle Moving Company toting boxes and furniture from here to there, only stopping to deliver and pick up. There was nothing left for me in my childhood home or hometown, and with no reason to stay, I got the hell out. Every now and then, I stop at my mailing address for laundry and letters, but other than that, I’m always driving. I don’t even have to stop to get new assignments. I just answer my phone on speaker, and my boss’s voice fills the cab. “Tobio-chan!” Oikawa says, like my name is a song. “Do I need to remind you of the specifics for today’s pick up?”

Of course he doesn’t need to remind me, but sometimes, I think he thinks I’m stupid. “No, I remember. I have to help pack and load, not just manage the checklist.” It’s easy, but not my favorite. I like driving the moving truck, not handling the stuff in it.

“Very good! I trust you’re almost there.”

Even though I’m early, I’m about to pull into the location parking lot. “Yeah.”

Oikawa hums. “Typical Tobio.” I’m not sure what he means by that. “You’re working with Watari and Iwa-chan today. They should be there soon.”

“Okay.” Both are real experienced, so I won’t have to do too much.

“I don’t want to get any calls from you three about any incidents.” He warns me. “So play nice with the other kids this time.”

I’m not a kid! I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

Oikawa scoffs. “That’s what I thought.”

Whatever. I have time to kill until Iwaizumi and Watari get here, so I unplug my phone from the aux and check the next location I’ve been assigned. I’ll have to go further south before heading back north, making at least five stops before dropping off the items we’re loading today. It’s kinda out of the way to take this route, but it means I’ll be on the road longer and I’m fine with that. My navigation system will guide me wherever I need to go, the only voice I’ll hear until I stop or Oikawa calls again. I’ve been told that living this way, in solitude and near silence, isn’t normal or good, but it’s my life and I don’t agree with all that. I don't need friends or small talk slowing me down. I’m happy on my own with my own thoughts and my own company. It’s just better this way!

I let my phone shuffle through some solo piano music while I wait, distracting me from all this nothing. Sitting here waiting around is boring, and I start to wonder if I should drive around and come back in a few minutes, but a turquoise pickup pulls up next to me. That color means Blue Castle. “Finally.” I sigh, hopping out of the cab.

Iwaizumi and Watari take their time, slowly setting foot outside the truck while I wait. “Afternoon, Kageyama.” Iwaizumi nods. “Been here long?”

“Forever.” I gesture at the building. “Let’s get going already.”

“King of the road.” Watari huffs out a laugh. “What’s your hurry? Their stuff isn’t going anywhere, and we still have to pack and label before loading it all up.” He pulls his arm to stretch, not moving to start for the building.

“Don’t even think about rushing through this.” Iwaizumi frowns at me, also not moving. “If you half-ass anything, Oikawa will never let us hear the end of it.”

“That’s not the plan.” I let him know. “I’d just like to get started already.”

Iwaizumi shrugs. “Fair enough. Make sure you’ve stretched before we get to moving. Come on, Watari.” He leads us to the store, knocking on the door. It looks empty of people, but full of…things. I can see clothes and furniture and all kinds of crap cluttering the front of the store. The sign says they’re closed, but a dark haired woman walks up to get the door, blinking at us. “Blue Castle. Are you Shimizu Kiyoko?” Iwaizumi waves.

The woman nods, opening the door wider for us. “Yes, hello, gentlemen.” She greets us and goes over her place of business as we walk through, but I don’t hear it. I’m too distracted by all the junk we pass and the distinct smell of a recycle shop. Colorful clothes and worn shoes and mismatching furniture sets surround us on racks and shelves and along the floor displays. It looks like a mess everywhere my eyes land, and it smells like scented candles covering up dust no matter where I turn. We run into a small blonde woman once we get into the back room, but I miss her name. “Everything is already sorted and ready to pack.” The brunette lady nods.

“Really?” I turn to her, noticing she’s wearing glasses. When she nods, I turn to Iwaizumi. “Then we can start the checklist.”

“The checklist?” The blonde woman asks.

Watari nods. “Yeah, Kageyama can tell you how to mark it up.”

I’m usually the one who does the checklist, but seeing as how there’s so much crap to be packed, I’ll have to hand that duty to someone else. The worst part is having to make small talk when clients decide to chitchat instead of move on from the checklist, so I’m glad to be rid of that lame duty. I hand the ladies the clipboard with the forms on it, pointing as I explain where to write. “I’ll say exactly what to put down, first letters and then numbers. Got it?”

Both women blink at me, the blonde with her mouth gaping a bit. Iwaizumi grips me by the shoulder, not bothering to be gentle. “Kageyama.”

“What?” I ask as he pulls me away.

Iwaizumi’s frown is somehow more obvious in his eyebrows and eyes than his mouth. “What happened to playing nice?”

“How’d you hear about that?”

He rolls his eyes. “Seriously?”

I sigh, walking over to the boxes Watari's set up. “I wasn’t mean, or anything. Can we just get to work?”

Watari laughs. “One track mind! Might as well get to it.”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Iwaizumi nods. “But be courteous, okay? At least with the clients.”

I didn’t even do anything but sure, okay. The three of us fill boxes, shout abbreviations at the ladies, seal and number the boxes, shout the corresponding number at the ladies, load the boxes on the carts and haul them into my truck. My gloves get in the way when I’m trying to tape, so I shove them in my back pocket and keep working. It takes little focus or thought to work a few hours away and movements become automatic. When I tape a box quickly, Watari says “Slow down.” When I pile some boxes up high, he says “Take it easy.” When I lift a lot at once, he says “Be careful.” When a box slips out of my grip, he says “You’re bleeding.”

I’m what? “Shit.” When I look down at my hand, sure enough, blood is smeared near a sliced bit of skin, probably from a cardboard edge. When I squeeze it, more blood comes out.

“Kageyama!” Watari shoves me. “What the hell? Stop it! Go take care of that.”

I have a first aid kit in my truck somewhere, I think. I nod and hold a crumpled tissue against my palm so I don’t make a mess. On the way to my truck, I try to keep pressure on the wound to stop the blood. Only being able to use one hand makes it hard to fumble around the cab and behind the seat, but I find the red box without too much trouble. “Stupid cardboard.” I sigh, wiping my hand clean and bandaging it up as best I can. It looks a little weird, like I’m part mummy, but putting my gloves back on so whatever. “Good enough.” I shrug and hop back out of the truck. Right after my feet hit the ground, though, there’s another sound from the trailer. Maybe the guys are loading more in there? I walk to the back to see who it is, stepping up to the deck. “Watari?” No reply, so it must be Iwaizumi. “Iwaizumi, what’re you…?” When I look around all the cargo, I don’t see anyone, but I can still hear rustling around. Slowly, I step closer to where the sounds are coming from. What the hell’s going on? “Who’s in here?” I ask again. A head of bright orange hair pops up from behind a stack of boxes, making me take a few steps back. I’m not sure if I’m more annoyed or confused, but my heart is racing. “Who are you?” I ask the stranger as he steps in front of me, eyeing me up and down. “What the hell're you doing here?”

He tilts his head, round eyes wide. “These are my boxes.” He gestures behind himself. “I’m the new manager for the new store.”

He’s kinda short, but he’s definitely got muscle under that t-shirt, and those calves didn’t come from nowhere. What’s he doing managing a store? He could be doing much more than a desk job. “A manager?”

“That’s what I said.” He smirks. “And you’re one of the movers?” He takes a step closer, and for some reason, I just nod. His eyes are distracting, warm and sparkling. Is he wearing cologne, or is it possible for people to naturally smell like a sunny day? “Then you’re the right one to talk to about going with my stuff!” I nod again because I am the one to talk to, but then I shake my head because what did he just say?

“No.” I take a step back, annoyed at how close we’re standing. “You can’t go with your cargo.”

He has the nerve to pout at me. “Why not?”

“Because!”

“Because why?”

I wonder if he could be more stupid if he tried. “Because that’s not how this works!” I point at the cargo. “We move your crap in here, I drive it around and you wait for it at the dropoff place. You don’t go with it.”

He narrows his eyes, invading my space again. “So you’re not the only mover?”

“Obviously.”

That blinding smile returns on his face. “Great! Then I’ll talk to one of them instead.” He skips around me, jumping from the trailer and disappearing into the building. Who does he think he is? I told him no, so it should be no!

“Hey!” I run after him, only catching up when we’ve reached everyone else in the backroom. “What the hell? Don’t you know what ‘no' means?”

Iwaizumi glares at me, and the brunette lady shakes her head. “Hinata, what’s going on?”

“I’ve made a decision!” I guess the idiot with red hair is Hinata. “I’m going with our stuff to the new store. I wanna make sure it gets there safe and sound, and the best way to do that is go with it!”

I shake my head. “No way.”

Again, Iwaizumi gives me a look, but also shakes his head. “That’s typically not how we do things, sir.”

Hinata shrugs. “I gotcha, but I think we can bend a rule or two this time.”

The brunette sighs. “I get that you’re dedicated to your new position at the new location, but I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“It doesn’t matter because that’s not happening!” I remind them all. Who cares if the idea is good or bad if it won’t happen at all?

Hinata stands up straight, nearly puffing out his chest. “We’re paying customers. We should be getting the service we want, and I want to go with my things.”

“Maybe we should call Sugawara.” The blonde says. Hinata nods, already getting his phone out.

Watari hums. “I mean, it’s unusual, but…”

“Watari, no!” I turn to him. Even Iwaizumi seems to be reconsidering. “Iwaizumi!”

He holds his hands up. “Now, hold on.” We watch Hinata walk away, apparently on a video call already. “I know it’s not how we do things, but I don’t see the harm in researching our options.” Iwaizumi shrugs. “Maybe we should call the boss.”

I’m pretty sure Oikawa said he didn’t want to get any calls from us, so I shake my head. “No.”

“Kageyama, what’s the big deal?” Iwaizumi pulls his phone out. “It'll be fine.”

I don’t know about that, but I can’t stop him now. Hinata’s still jabbering away on his phone. “I just wanna make sure everything gets there safe. I won’t get in the way, or anything. I promise!” He grins at the screen. “What do you think, Suga?”

I look back at Iwaizumi, on his phone. “No, angel, no problems. The client has a proposal, though.”

This is so annoying. Hinata seems excited, Iwaizumi seems calm. I have no idea what’s going on, and I think I should have a say in all this. “I’m not being responsible for some overprotective manager! It’s not even a quick route to drop their cargo off. The drive is long and out of the way. It’s not happening.” I point at Iwaizumi. “Tell Oikawa!”

“Kageyama wants to talk to you.” He hands me the phone even though that’s not what I said.

“Oikawa, talk some sense into your husband.” I sigh. “He’s actually considering letting this random guy ride along with me!”

Oikawa hums. “Well, I think we can come to some sort of agreement. Think of it like a compromise.”

“What kind of compromise?”

“If they’re willing to pay extra, I’m willing to play along with this idea.”

Hell no! “You can’t be serious.” I shut my eyes. “This has to be against some sort of policy! It has to be.”

Oikawa huffs out a laugh. “It’s my company, dear Tobio-chan. I can do what I want.”

Damn him. I glance over at Hinata, bouncing over. “My boss wants to talk to yours!” He smiles. “Put it on speaker.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” I switch the phone to speaker anyway, angling it towards Hinata. “Oikawa, you’re on speaker.”

Hinata turns his phone around, an ashy haired man on the screen. “Suga, this is one of the movers. He’s grumpy.” He laughs. “His boss is on the phone. Say hello!”

“Hi.” Suga waves. “This is Sugawara Koushi. Am I speaking to the Blue Castle head of operations?”

“You sure are!” Oikawa replies. “Oikawa Tooru. Nice to meet you!”

I’m so pissed that this conversation is even happening. Hinata makes a face at me, and I want to make one back, but I’m already making one. “This is all your fault! Why couldn’t you just take no for an answer?” I hiss at him while our bosses chat.

“Because it wasn’t the answer I wanted.” He rolls his eyes. “Obviously.”

Could he be stupider? “Don’t be a jackass. You’ll just make everything harder, even for yourself.”

“You don’t be a jackass!” Hinata scowls. “I’m not asking for anything that crazy.” His eyes dart to our phones, turning back to me. “Am I?”

He’s seriously questioning his own idea. Fucking ridiculous. “You are, and you’re an idiot.”

“Tobio-chan!” Oikawa says ny name like a song. “Did you catch that?”

Aw shit, I wasn’t listening. “Can you repeat that?”

“Listen carefully.” Oikawa speaks slowly like I'm the dumb one. “You will take Hinata with his cargo and drop him off at the new store location. It’s a long drive, but I want you to make him comfortable and treat him nicely. Understand?”

I walk away with the phone, standing off to the side. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope! Am I still on speaker?”

I switch it off. “No. It’s just me.”

“Listen. I’m not about to be bothered with complaints or disgruntled clients. The customer, no matter how stupid, is always right. And that delightful Sugawara offered a nice bit of compensation for our troubles.” Oikawa explains. “So make this Hinata fellow feel right at home with you in your cab. Make sure he’s happy and has nothing to complain about, even if that means extra stops and all. Do not make him sleep in the truck, and do not skip meals. He has to be fed and rested and smiling by the time your trip is over. Got it?”

Looks like I’ve somehow lost this battle. “I’m not a babysitter!”

“Until he and his things are delivered, you are.” Oikawa laughs. “You can charge everything to the company card. I’ll let the next few clients know about any change in timeline, so no worries about that.”

He thinks that’s what I’m worried about? “That’s the least of my problems.”

“Well, good! Don’t let me down, then.”

I guess that’s it. “Damn.” I get back to Iwaizumi, handing him his phone back. “Here. Your husband’s a traitor.” I turn on my heel, pointing at Hinata. “You.”

He tucks his phone in his pocket, blinking. “Me?”

“Don’t play dumb!” I roll my eyes. “Yes, you.”

Watari stands between us. “Okay, calm down, Kageyama.” I am calm! “I get that this is a little unusual, but think of it as something new. Something to break up the monotony of driving by yourself, you know? It won’t be so bad.” Watari shrugs. “Maybe it’ll be nice for the king of the road to have some company.”

Not likely. “I didn’t sign up for this.”

Iwaizumi joins the conversation again, phone put away. “That’s settled.”

“Am I understanding correctly?” The brunette woman asks. “Hinata will travel with Kageyama on his route until these boxes are dropped off at the new store?”

“That’s right.” Iwaizumi confirms. “With some stipulations.”

“Like what?” The blonde asks.

Iwaizumi sighs. “Well, Hinata can’t get involved in the moving processes. Kageyama can’t be more than a day late to his next location.” Everything he’s saying makes sense, but it’s not what I want to hear. He goes over more stiplations, or whatever, but I just get more and more bothered. Traveling by myself is what I live for. It’s my life. Having some stranger invade my sanctuary isn’t okay with me. “Kageyama, you’ll be compensated at the end of this, so try not to look so excited.” Iwaizumi smirks but I’m not amused.

“Whatever.” I mutter, getting back to packing. I’m over this stupid conversation.

When I first got this job, one of the perks was not having a partner. Being alone means not having to listen to someone else talk and say stupid things, or ask idiotic questions. It means no compromising or making decisions with another person in mind. It means quiet and peace and doing what I want when I want. It’s where I can think about the places I want to visit and the other things I want to do, like fly in a plane and cruise at sea. With another person riding in the cab with me, none of that’s possible. I’ll have to talk with this guy, listen to his nonsense, do whatever he wants when he wants. I’ll have to make extra stops so he can eat and sleep every day, and I’ll have to be polite and shit. I won’t get any peace unless I lock him up in the trailer, and then I’ll get in trouble with Oikawa. The nuisance himself walks over to me, smiling like he isn’t already a pain in the ass. “I’m gonna go pack a bag. Don’t leave without me!” He practically runs out of the room, faster than I expected.

“If the truck was loaded, I’d already be gone.” I mumble. Someone clears their throat, and I look up to see the blonde. “We'll be done soon.” I tell her.

She brushes some of her bangs from her eyes, staring at the floor. “O-okay. Um, I just wanted to…apologize, I guess?” Her face is turning red. “For Hinata, I mean. He means well, I promise, but…well, this is the first time Sugawara put him in charge of anything and he’s just really excited.” She clasps her hands in front of herself. “He’s a nice person, and very dedicated to his work.” Why is she telling me all this? “He’s a good friend, and you’ll never be bored with him around!”

“Okay?”

Right away, she turns even redder, waving her hands wildly. “I’m sorry! I just mean…I just hope that you two can get along.” Her eyes almost meet mine. “You’ll be stuck with each other for a little bit, and I’d hate to think that it’ll all be bad.”

So she’s trying to be nice, or something. At least it seems like she gets just how much of a bother her coworker can be. I nod, not sure what to say since I’m trying to play nice. “Okay.”

“Right.” She turns to walk away. “Anyway, sorry to interrupt your work! I just wanted to…to tell you he’s not so bad.”

Again, I nod. “Okay.”

With that, she leaves to join the brunette in a conversation with Watari. He laughs, making the women giggle and smile at something. He probably shared a funny little story from his time working for Blue Castle, or told a joke. He makes it look so easy. It’s like he just knows what to say to get people to smile and talk to him and they go along with it. He isn’t awkward or fake, casually connecting with strangers like it’s normal. Maybe it is normal. Even Iwaizumi can show a friendly side, talking about the weather and the news and how are you. He might not say much, but he can be nice after a little bit. He can sometimes get laughs out of people, too, like when he says something sarcastic or makes fun of Oikawa. And Oikawa is a pro at making people like him. All he has to do is smile and say something clever and everyone falls at his feet. He seems to know every person he meets, probably friends with more people than I can count. They’re good at socializing and making friends, I’ll give them that, but what happens if those relationships turn bad? Will they know how to be happy if they’re left alone? Relying on other people to be happy is just asking for trouble. I mean, everyone leaves, anyway.

I don’t need friends. I’ve made it this far without relying on anyone for comfort and happiness. It feels good to focus on work and saving up money to really travel one day. It feels good to be by myself. It makes me wish I’d really cherished my solitude before today because I won’t get it back anytime soon. Not with this shrimp riding along with me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention: mature scenes happen later and won’t be explicit. Later, though! Here’s what’s in the next update: given names, candy bars and lights out!


	2. Lines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This won’t be my only HQ fic, BTW. I have nine more in the works, all different pairings hahha Anyway, this chapter is same day as the first. Now the fun can really start!

Even though all the cargo is loaded in my truck, I’m not allowed to leave. I have to wait around for this orange haired lunatic to show up, and then I can finally get on the road. How long have I been standing in this parking lot, pacing and checking the time? “Where is he?” I ask nobody in particular. The sun is moving across the sky and minutes are being wasted!

“He’ll be back any minute.” The brunette woman locks up the front door with her blonde coworker by her side. “He lives just over that hill.”

The hill she’s looking at looks to be pretty far. I point at it. “You mean that one?”

She nods, joining the rest of us in the parking lot with the blonde close behind. Watari leans against the pickup. “That doesn’t actually look very close by.” He checks his watch. “It’ll probably be a while before he gets here. Maybe you should settle in, Kageyama.” Watari chuckles like waiting here until I die is funny.

“If he isn’t here in five minutes, can I leave?” I ask Iwaizumi. “We don’t even have to tell Oikawa.”

“He'll know.” Iwaizumi says. “So no.”

Defeated, I sigh. “Come on.”

The blonde woman suddenly points past us. “There he is!”

I turn around, looking for an oncoming car, but only see someone on a bike. Like, a bicycle. As the bike turns into the parking lot, I realize that the person riding it has bright red hair under a ball cap and a huge bag on their back. “He rode a bike from over there?” I don’t mean to ask out loud, but it’s hard to believe and the words just come out. As he gets closer, I notice he’s thrown an unzipped hoodie on that flaps around in the wind. I also notice his shorts have ridden up his thighs, and it’s obvious how he’s managed to get so much muscle on those legs even with a desk job.

“All set!” Hinata shouts, hopping off the bike and patting his backpack. “Let’s get going!”

He sure sounds comfortable with this whole weird idea. I point at the bike. “Where are you putting that?”

He blinks, eyes wide. “What do you mean? That truck is huge! This'll fit, no problem.”

“That’s for cargo. It’s not a personal closet.”

Iwaizumi clears his throat. “As a client, I think it’s a reasonable request.” He gives me this look, eyes super serious and mouth in a line. I’m not allowed to argue with him, and I’m not allowed to say no to Hinata. I sigh and quickly find a place for the bike with all the other crap we loaded up, storing it upside down so it doesn’t roll around in transit. By the time I get back, the clients are finishing up their goodbyes. Iwaizumi holds his hand out to me. “You can do this.”

“I know I can.” I shake his hand. “I just don’t want to.”

Watari climbs into the passenger side of the pickup with a wave. “Have fun!” He laughs.

I make a face at him. “You’re not funny!”

Hinata climbs up the side step, hanging off the door, waving his hat in the air. “I’m ready!”

He’s so stupid. I roll my eyes and climb in, not bothering to get comfortable. “You can put your shit behind the seat.” I point at the small space behind us. After he tosses his hat there, I realize there’s no way the bag’ll fit. “Why’d you bring such a huge bag?” It’s more than half his size! The overhead area is where I usually sleep, but I’m not allowed to do things like normal on this trip, so I won’t be using it. I lug Hinata’s bag up and toss it over my shoulder.

“What’re you doing?” He asks, climbing up on the seat.

I swat at him. “No shoes on the seat! What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing! What'd you just do?”

“There’s more room up there. Your bag will be fine.” I open my door. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” I start on my side of the cab and circle the truck, checking the tires, the lights, the fuel tank, the trailer and supports. When I get back in, I check that the brakes and wipers and signals are still working properly. Without even looking, I can feel a pair of eyes on me, staring. I turn to Hinata, confused at why he’s looking at me. “What’re you staring at?”

He blinks, but doesn’t move back, still leaning towards me. “What was all that?”

“All what?”

“You went around and now you’re playing with the lights and stuff.”

“I wasn’t playing.” I roll my eyes. “I was doing an inspection.”

Hinata nods, looking out his window. “That’s pretty smart, I guess.” He buckles himself in and smiles. “Are we ready for takeoff, Mr. King of the Road?”

This isn’t a plane, but whatever. “Sure. Just don't touch anything.”

“I’m not a baby.” He kind of pouts, and it’s kind of distracting. “How come you didn’t take that other road back there? There’s less traffic.”

Is he questioning my driving? I’m a professional! “I’m the one driving, here.”

He sighs. “Yeah, but you’ll run into that intersection with the light that takes forever to change.” Hinata leans back in his seat with a shrug. “But whatever! How long have you been doing this, anyway? The whole mover thing.”

“Since I was eighteen.” I count on my fingers to do the math. “So…nine years.”

Hinata lightly smacks my shoulder. “We’re the same age, then!” His smile is even more distracting than his pout. “What’s your name, by the way? I’m Hinata Shouyou.”

I guess we didn’t introduce ourselves. “Kageyama Tobio.”

“Cool! And you’ve been driving your truck for almost ten years. That’s a long time! How’d you get into this, anyway?”

It’s a long story. I don’t really want to talk about it because it makes me sad, and I’m trying to work. Hinata doesn’t take no for an answer, though, and if I don’t give him something, he'll just keep asking. “I like being on the road and I like to be alone.”

“That’s a little sad, Kageyama!” He sorta whines. “Everyone needs a friend.”

“I don’t.”

Hinata shakes his head. “Of course you do! You’re a person, right? People need support and care and love, and—”

“Hinata.” I’ve been told all of these things before, and I don’t want to hear them from some stranger who’s clearly always had friends. “Can’t you sit there without talking?” I mean, I am working and I should be concentrating.

“Rude!” Hinata leans against his window, hitting the glass with his head. I yank him by the arm, away from it. “Ruder! What the hell?”

Who touches windows? I shake my head. “Don’t touch the window! You’ll dirty it.”

Hinata brushes my hand off, huffing. “You have more rules than a classroom. How do you live like this?”

“You’re right.” I nod. “I have rules, and if you’re gonna be riding with me for the next week, you better follow them.” Maybe I can’t do everything how I want on this trip, but I can try, and if Hinata knows what’s good for him, he'll listen.

“For real?”

I nod again. “Yes, now listen for a change.” To my surprise, he stays quiet. “No touching the windows, the dash, the gears, anything up front. No touching my phone to change the music or the route.” What else does he need to not do? “No more stupid questions or advice I never asked for. No complaining or whining about being tired or hungry or how I drive. Got it?”

Hinata stays quiet, eyes on his window. I can’t believe he’s got nothing to say, but he just might be pouting. “Do you like your job?”

“I said no stupid questions."

“How is that stupid?”

Only a dumbass would wonder if a person doing a job for nine years likes it or not. “Obviously I like it! I’ve been doing it long enough.”

“Do you have a favorite place? Like, a plave you’ve spent time in on a move?”

“No.” I don’t travel for fun in my truck. I travel for work, and I’m saving money to do actual traveling to far away places. Maybe Italy, or even Brazil.

He leans over, squinting up at the old picture I keep clipped to my sun visor. “You say you don’t have friends, but those look like friends, or family. Who are they?” He points, but I smack his hand away.

“That’s me.” I mean, one of the people in the picture is me.

“Three Kageyamas in one picture?”

I nod because he isn’t wrong. “Yes.”

Hinata doesn’t ask anymore questions. He takes his phone out and plays around on it, finally leaving me alone. It’s weird, but even though he’s not talking, it kinda feels like he is? Like his voice has its own energy that fills up the cab, even when he’s quiet. For some reason, it isn’t annoying. Reminds me of getting used to sitting in the sun on a hot day, where the heat is too much at first, but then you get used to it and it’s not so bad anymore. A few times, Hinata laughs a little or says a word or two to himself, but he stays quiet for some time. Well, until his phone starts ringing and he answers it. “Hi, Suga!” He smiles. I think that’s his boss on the other end. “Things are fine so far, I guess. I was trying to get to know this guy, but he’s basically a sea urchin.” He thinks his own joke is funny. “No, I wasn’t being pushy, I was just being friendly! Especially since we’re stuck together for a while.” We wouldn’t be if he hadn’t insisted. “I know, it’ll be a while until I’m back, but I’ll get right to work!” His voice gets a little louder when he talks about his job. “I won’t even make any runs. I’ll be focused only on merchandising what we’ve got, and getting everything perfect! I have so many ideas.” He laughs. “Yeah, new ones! I’ll email you the layout sketches when I can.” I don’t know what any of this means. “I guess, but this isn’t the most ideal place to relax. This guy keeps taking the busiest streets, and missing all the best shortcuts.” There he goes again, opening his big mouth. “I mean, I’ve only lived here and gotten to know all the streets my whole life, but whatever!” Hinata laughs. “No, I’m not being mean, Suga. I’ve got experience traveling and stuff, but I won’t give my gold advice where it’s not wanted.” Well, good. Maybe he'll shut up from now on.

Their conversation goes on a while, but I turn my attention to the route my phone is giving me. There’s a fuel stop up ahead, and it has a convenience store. I know it’s not glamorous, but it’s food we can eat until we stop for the night. “We’re stopping soon. If you need to piss, do it there.”

“Don’t say ‘piss!’ You can just say ‘pee.’”

Whatever. “Okay, so if you have to piss, we're stopping for a bit.” I repeat. “You can get food and whatever, but don’t take forever.”

“Are you getting food, too?”

I shake my head, sorta gesturing behind me. “I’ve got stuff here, and I’ve gotta fuel up.”

“But when are you eating, then?”

So many questions! “We’re eating on the road, okay? Don’t get anything you can’t eat right there in that seat, or anything messy.” I’ll have to fork over my credit card as Oikawa directed. We pull into the station and Hinata immediately moves to leave. I grab his wrist, pulling him back. “Don’t take too long, and don’t do anything stupid, okay? If something happens to you, I could lose my job.”

Hinata smirks, but doesn’t pull away. “I’m not gonna let you lose your job, Kageyama. Let’s go.”

I drop his arm, moving to get out. “I’ll meet you in there.”

“Okay!”

Now that I’m alone, I take a deep breath in and out. Fueling up is just about the only chance I’ll get to surround myself in silence, but the quiet ends too soon since I can’t stay out here forever. With a sigh, I walk into the convenience store, looking around for that crop of messy red hair. I don’t see him at first, but maybe he’s hidden behind a shelf, or something. He’s not very tall, so I take another look around, much closer this time. Still, I don’t see him. “Shit.” We’ve been out of the truck for five minutes and I’ve already lost him! I don’t have his phone number, so I can’t call him, and I don’t know how familiar he is with this place, so I don’t know if he’s just getting more and more lost. “Okay, okay.” I lean against a wall, taking my hat off to rub my forehead. Maybe he went back to the truck? Or maybe he just so happens to be on the opposite side of the store with every step I take? “I’m fired.”

A humming sound nearby quickly gets louder, followed by loud footsteps. I turn, just in time to see Hinata skipping out of a doorway, grinning and humming a tune. I grip his arm before he can go any further, and he blinks at me. “Oh, hi, Kageyama! What’s up?” He laughs. “Nice hat hair!”

“Shut up. Where have you been?” I put my hat back on.

He smirks, pointing upwards. A sign for the bathroom is clearly marked. “I had to pee, remember? I didn’t even take that long.”

I’d be lying if I didn’t feel something like relief. I’m just glad I won’t be fired for losing the client on the first day. “Whatever.” I shake my head, letting him go so I can fish the company card from my wallet. “Don’t go overboard.” I hand him the card, but he won’t take it. “Here! Use it for your food.”

Hinata finally cooperates, taking the card. “Seriously? I can buy what I want?”

“That’s what I said. Just nothing that’ll make a mess in my cab.” I shove past him. “I gotta piss. I’ll meet you back in the truck.”

He barks something about my language, but I ignore it and keep walking. When I look in the mirror as I wash my hands, I’m almost confused by my own face. My years are starting to show. I’m not even thirty, but I can see little lines collecting in the middle of my forehead and the corners of my eyes. Under my eyes, my skin is permanently a little purple and my eyes themselves aren’t the bright blue they used to be. A part of getting older, I guess. I rinse my face off, straighten out my hat and head back to the truck. Hinata isn’t here yet, so after my inspection, I turn my music up and lean back in the seat. In a few hours, I’ll find a place to stop for the night. I’m not used to sleeping in hotels, but I’m not supposed to let Hinata sleep in the cab and if he gets to stay in a real bed, I do, too. Maybe I’ll even get a nice shower while I’m at it, and watch something on the tv. I don’t want to get used to a mattress and comfy blankets, but maybe it’ll be a nice change of pace. My peace is interrupted when Hinata busts in the cab, plopping down with an entire box of things and a couple bags hanging from his arms. “Look! I got some great stuff.” He shows me the different bottled juices and teas, the pork buns and chips, the rows and rows of flavored chocolate bars. His smile is so…annoying.

“Why the hell did you get so much candy?” It looks like he snagged the entire display!

“It was on sale! I couldn’t leave it there.” He stows the box behind us, tucking the bags of drinks near his feet. He takes a massive bite from one of the pork buns, holding another out to me. “Want one, Kageyama?”

I roll my eyes and take it from him. “Dumbass, don’t talk with your mouth full.” It’s not bad for being convenience store food, but I doubt everything will get eaten. “That’s too much candy.”

“You’ll have to help me eat it, then! What kind’s your favorite? There’s strawberry, matcha, custard, sweet potato, red bean, regular milk chocolate and mint.” Hinata sorts through all the candy bars, stuffing the bun in his mouth to free both hands, while I get us back on the road. I don’t even have to look to know which one I want.

“The milk chocolate one.”

He scoffs, somehow not choking. “That’s lame!” He takes a swig of something that smells sweet and citrusy. “Those are the boring ones.”

“They’re good, alright?”

“If you say so.” He tosses a bar into my lap, starting in on his second bun. “What were you gonna eat, anyway? You said you have stuff in here.”

I try not to eat while I drive, but I always have essentials. “I’ve got bottled water and protein bars. When I stop for the night, I have instant noodles.” When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll sometimes get a banana from a convenience store. I’ve never been much of a picky eater. Even though my eyes are on the road, I can feel him staring again. He probably thinks I’ve said something weird, even though I didn’t. “What’re you staring at?” I sigh for what feels like the millionth time since meeting him.

“I’m not staring!” Hinata jabs my shoulder. “That just sounds…I don’t know, empty? Lackluster?”

“I live on the road! How am I gonna bring gourmet shit in here?”

He laughs, slapping my arm. “Shut up! I didn’t say gourmet anything.” He pauses to drink more juice. “It just sounds weird to always eat and drink and do the same things over and over with nothing new.”

Isn’t that what a recycle shop manager does? “Says the one with a desk job.”

“It’s not a desk job!”

“No?”

Hinata bites into another bun. “No!” Not even food can make him fully shut up. “I have a lot on my plate now. I’ll have to organize and run the whole store, which is zero seconds sitting at a desk, I’ll have you know.” I can’t imagine how that’ll keep him so busy. “I get to be the boss! I’m in charge of what goes on the floor and I’ll have to figure out how the place will operate.”

I’m pretty sure he has higher ups for that. “Isn’t that Suga guy in charge of that stuff?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. He’s one of the owners, but he assigned me manager of the new store. All the final decisions will be up to me!”

“That's scary.”

He flicks my ear. “Not nice, Kageyama.” Hinata stays quiet to finish eating, giving me a chance to polish off my bun. I’ve barely swallowed the last bite when another is held up in my face. “I’m excited, though.” He doesn’t acknowledge the bun, and I don’t either, wordlessly accepting it. “It’ll be so cool to run the place on my own! I’m not even sure of everything we had in storage, but I can only imagine the awesome stuff I’ll get to sort through."

“Awesome stuff?”

Hinata bounces in the seat, too excited. “Yes! People donate some crazy cool things.”

I doubt that, but I have to finish my bite of pork bun before saying so. “Yeah right.”

He makes as much noise as possible to unwrap a candy bar. “No, for real! Have you ever tried those old trampoline shoes?”

“That’s not a thing.”

“It is, and they’re a blast!” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “I found that pair at a yard sale along with a box of yoyos and a couple novelty phones. Like, the landline kind.” After crumpling the wrapper, he opens another bar. “I tried them out and they almost broke my ankle, but I had fun.” Of course he had fun nearly injuring himself. That’s what dumbasses do. “But anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing all we’ve got back there! I can only imagine.”

It’s boxes and boxes of junk, but one man’s crap is another’s treasure. I let Hinata keep babbling about trash he’s had fun playing with until he yawns and finally stops talking a million years later. When I glance over, he’s still awake, but he looks tired, staring out the window while the sun goes down. People don’t realize it, but sitting in a truck for hours is strangely tiring. I’d like to just drive through the early night hours, but I have to stop to get dinner and a room. I follow my navigation’s directions, turning into the parking lot of a hotel that looks pretty empty. There’s a restaurant nextdoor, so that’s an easy decision for our meal. I watch Hinata stretch his arms over his head, dragging the hem of his shirt up a tiny bit. The sliver of skin above his belt disappears when he puts his arms back down, and I quickly turn to get out. “Stay here.” I tell him.

“Why? Where are we?” He yawns.

“We’re stopping for the night. Is there anything you can’t or won’t eat?”

Hinata shakes his head but moves to get out, too. “Not really, but if we’re stopping for the night, I don’t see why I should stay here.”

So difficult! I roll my eyes, pointing at him. “You stay here! I’ll come back to get you so we can check in.” If he goes in the hotel, he'll probably screw up getting a room. If he goes in the restaurant, he'll probably get something terrible and enough for an army. “I don’t trust your judgment, and if I place an order now, it might be done by the time we’re settled in. Just stay put.” I expect some sort of back talk, but Hinata only sighs and sinks down in the seat. Good. With that, I make my way to the restaurant and ask for noodles for each of us and dumplings to share since it seems like a quick and safe choice. The cashier says it’ll be ready in fifteen minutes, which is perfect. “I’ll be back soon.” I thank them and get back to my truck. “Let’s go.” I haul Hinata's bag from the overhead area and drop it on his lap. Why didn’t he move to catch it? Is he that exhausted? “What the hell’s wrong with you? Come on.”

He pouts, slinging the bag over his shoulder. “Bossy! I don’t see why we can’t sit down and enjoy ourselves a little.”

I wait for both of us to be outside, truck secure, before responding. “This isn't a holiday.” We walk to the hotel lobby, his legs working harder than mine to keep the pace. “You’re lucky I’m even stopping for the night.”

“You’d have to stop for the night with or without me! You can’t drive while sleeping.”

“I don’t need sleep.”

“You liar! Of course you do.” He pokes me in the shoulder. “Unless you really never sleep, which is probably why you’re so grumpy.”

I don’t like that smirk of his. The worst part about it is how it makes my heart beat faster. “Shut up. I’m not grumpy.” We’re already at the front desk, and the attendant has been staring, waiting, but it’s not like they have anywhere else to be. I ask for a room with two beds and keep the key cards out of Hinata’s reach most of the way to our room. It’s easy enough to hold them over his head since I have a height advantage. “I’m not giving them to you!” It’s kind of fun to watch him pout.

“Then I’ll take them!” Suddenly, he leaps up, snatching the cards from my hand. When he lands back on his feet, he makes a face with a laugh and takes off down the hall.

What just happened? It takes me a second to snap out of it, shaking my head to focus on getting the keys back. “Get back here, you little runt!” I actually have to run to catch up with him, reaching for the cards he’s got a little too far out of my grasp.

He pulls away, laughing again. “Nice try, King Kageyama!” Hinata turns on his heel to stop in front of a door. He fiddles with the keys in the sleeve, not able to get a handle on them. It’s my opportunity to wrestle them from his grip. “Kageyama, you jerk!” He puts up a fight, but I manage to take them from him and unlock our door. I get to step in first, throwing my overnight bag on the bed by the window since it’s obviously the better one.

“I win!” I remind him.

Hinata makes a face, accepting the loser bed by flopping back on it. “You cheated.”

He’s a sore loser, I see. “Did not.”

“Did so.”

“How?”

The silence is answer enough that he knows I won, fair and square. “Because you suck.”

It’s such a stupid response, I can’t help but laugh on my way back to the door. Hinata’s pretty stupid and annoying, but he never goes down without a fight, and it can be amusing. Sometimes. “I'm gonna grab our food. Don’t leave the room.” I turn to get some sign of agreement, but Hinata’s just staring at me again. “Hinata!”

He shakes his head, going a little red in the face. “Right! Sorry, I got it.”

“Good.”

When I get to the restaurant, I have to wait just a couple minutes for the order to be ready. I don’t bother taking a seat, leaning against a wall while I wait. As soon as they call my name, I carry the order back to the room and find Hinata playing with the tv channels. “That was fast! You’ve got speedy legs.” He bounces across the mattress until his legs hang off the foot of his bed. “What’d you get me?” Like a kid, he reaches out with both hands and wiggles his fingers.

“Noodles.” I hand him a box and a set of throw away chopsticks and set the rest on the table. “We can split the dumplings, too.”

“Sounds great! I’m starving.” He says a quick thank you before digging in. I divide the dumplings between us, giving Hinata the box. “Awesome! I could eat a few dozen of these, I bet. And another order of these noodles.”

I scoff, taking my food to my own bed. “You’re starving? You had thirty pork buns.”

He picks the remote up, somehow changing channels while stuffing more noodles in his face. “I only had four, and that was hours ago. I gotta eat when I’m hungry, and I’m hungry again.” He flips between the same channels over and over again, then hums and turns to me. “Kageyama, what do you wanna watch?” His eyes are so shiny, like something about crappy hotel tv is amazing. “We don’t get many channels.”

When was the last time I even watched tv? I shrug, settling in with my food. “Whatever. Just nothing for too long.”

“Why?”

“Early morning.” I remind him. “Lotta driving to do and two clients to squeeze in before more driving.”

Hinata sighs. “Do we have to go straight here and there? Why can’t we take our time?” He pulls the paper menu from the bag his food was in. “And why couldn’t we sit and eat here? It looked like a sit-down restaurant.” He’s pouting again. “Instead we’re rushing and not taking any time to just breathe.”

I roll my eyes. “This isn’t a getaway trip.” How many times do I have to say it? “It’s work.”

“You can work and have fun.”

“I do have fun!”

Hinata smirks at me. I hate how quickly I look away from it. “You have fun?” He asks. “People who have fun don’t frown like you do. Fun means smiles and laughing and taking time to enjoy things.”

“Maybe to you.”

He blinks, but says no more. We finish eating in silence, an action movie filling the space around us. He pulls a couple candy bars from his pocket, tossing me one of them. When the movie ends, I get ready for bed and shut the light off from my side of the nightstand. Hinata turns it back on from his side. I need sleep, so I turn the lights back off, but he’s acting like a dumbass. “Kageyama, I need the light!”

It’s obvious this is how the whole trip is going to be, me trying to work and him getting in the way of that. I can see it clearly, but I have to draw the line now or I’ll never get anything done and this trip will last a lifetime. “Well I need to sleep! I’ve got work in the morning.” We go back and forth like this for a while, the lights going on and off, on and off. He’s so stubborn! It's a good thing he’s not the only one, though. When I finally get the lights back off, I hurl a pillow at him in the dark. I can’t see him or where the pillow got him, but I hear Hinata yelp and some part of him hit the wall. I laugh, glad to finally get some rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to anyone who joins me on this journey! Stick around next week for breakfast, piano and rain~


	3. Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I for real can’t get over my phone autocorrecting ‘Hinata' to ‘piñata' OMG

Since I wasn’t on my phone all night, giggling at memes and cat videos, I wake up feeling rested and alert when my alarm goes off. I run through the shower and brush my teeth, ready to go. Looking around the room to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything, I realize I have and roll my eyes to the ceiling. Hinata hasn’t even gotten out of bed yet. I kick his mattress, already annoyed. “Get up! We’re gonna be late.” I get a groan in response, but he still doesn’t move. That’s really not gonna work for me, though, so I rip the blanket off of him. “I said get up! You’re making us late.”

Hinata curls up in a ball but glares at me. It’s hard to see it as threatening when his hair is messy and his clothes are rumpled, eyes still sleepy. “Late for what?”

“To start the day!” I walk away so I won’t have to linger around his morning scent, which is like a sunny day wrapped up in blankets. It makes me want to get back in bed and I can’t do that. “I have a lot of stuff to do today and I don’t have time to be waiting around for you. Go shower, or brush your teeth, or something! Let’s go.”

“Stop shouting, Bossy-yama!” He sits up to rub his eyes. “What’d you eat?”

I sit on my bed, arms crossed. “I'll grab coffee. Hurry up.”

He scoffs but stands from the bed, scratching his belly. “That’s not breakfast. We gotta eat real food.” Hinata hums in thought on his way to the bathroom. “Hey, maybe we can check out the restaurant we got dinner from!” He yells, not shutting the door. “I bet they have good breakfast food.” His next words are garbled as he takes his time brushing his teeth. When he's done gargling, he keeps talking. “But we should sit down for breakfast, not take it in the truck.” Hinata goes back to his bed and sifts through his bag, pulling out clothes and then changing his mind. “What do you think?”

I flop back on my mattress, eyes shut. “I think you need to hurry your ass up and shower! Let’s go.”

“Alright!” Hinata shouts. Something hits me in the face, and when I open my eyes, I see a rolled up pair of socks sitting on my chest and Hinata running for the bathroom. I throw them right back at him, but he slams the door just in time with a laugh.

Hinata finally finishes getting ready, wearing a bright tee shirt and shorts that seem to fit a little tight. He keeps messing with his hair, so I swat at his hands. “Knock it off.”

“My hair won’t sit right! It keeps sticking up. I can feel it.”

The orange strands are sticking up some, short but going in all directions. I think the look suits him just fine. “Who cares?” When we leave the hotel, I try to walk towards my truck, but Hinata pulls me a different direction. “What're you doing?” He loops his arm through mine, tugging us further from the parking lot.

“We’re getting breakfast!” Hinata grins, and I can’t say no. I mean, I might lose my job if I do.

We sit across from each other at a small booth next to a window. I stare out it, wishing I could be on the road and driving away from this place. Hinata clears his throat, but I don’t bother turning to him. “What?” I sigh. The sun is hiding behind some clouds, no wind, no rain, clear roads. It’s good driving weather and I’m missing out on it.

Hinata kicks me under the table, not hurting my shin. “Relax! We'll get driving when we’re done eating.” I look over at him, not expecting such a soft smile.

“Fine.”

“So, Kageyama.” He sets his menu aside. “Yesterday, we only listened to lift music on the drive.”

I scoff, shoving my menu over his. “It’s classic solo piano!”

He shrugs. “Okay, whatever. Why?”

“Why what?”

The waitress interrupts us to take our order. Before she’s even gone, Hinata speaks up again, elbows on the table, chin in his hands. “Why was that all we listened to? There’s a million songs out there and a ton of genres. We could be listening to any of them.”

Piano is what I grew up listening to. It’s the only thing I want to hear. “Why would I want to?”

He shrugs again, sitting back in his seat. “I don’t know! We could be singing with songs and listening to fun stuff.”

“Singing?”

Hinata laughs, entire face lighting up. “Yeah! You don’t like singing?”

I’m not sure I’ve ever really tried. I learned to play piano when I was young, and it was all I ever listened to. Nobody sang around me growing up and I never thought to try it on my own. I can’t say I don’t like it, but I can’t say I do, either. “I don’t know.”

“How do you not know?” He smirks. “Let’s try it, then!”

The restaurant isn’t exactly busy, but there are other people around. No way am I singing in front of an audience. “We’re in public, dumbass! Not a chance.”

For some reason, he laughs at this. “How about on the road, then?”

Again, no way. “No.”

“You’re no fun, Kageyama!” Hinata says this while grinning, so I don’t believe him. I’ve shown him nothing fun so far, nothing even hinting that I'm fun, but the look on his face makes me doubt myself. “None at all.”

I kick at him, not using any force. “Shut up.”

Breakfast doesn’t last too long, and when we get on the road, Hinata decides the meal should’ve never ended. He reaches back and grabs a couple chocolate bars. “Want one? You can have a strawberry.” He holds the pink bar my direction.

“Why do you keep giving me your candy?” I take it anyway since the strawberry kind is good.

“You said I got too much, so you’re gonna help me eat them.” He wipes the chocolate from the corner of his mouth. “And I don’t mind sharing with you. You could use some sugar, I think.”

I’m not sure what he’s getting at. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugs. “It just seems like you could use some sweetness in your life.” I get an elbow to my arm. “How about it, Kageyama? Want something sweet? Need a little sugar?” Hinata laughs, still in my space. He smells like chocolate and a sunny day, actually making me want some sugar. It’s a stupid thought and I turn so he can’t see the red in my face.

“No. Shut up.” I shove him away. “I’m trying to drive.”

“I know that!”

“So try to keep your mouth shut!” I don’t want to keep being distracted by Hinata, especially while I'm behind the wheel. “Play on your phone, or something.”

Hinata throws a wrapper at me. “If I’m quiet, you owe me karaoke.”

“No I don’t.” I almost laugh at the ridiculous demand. Hinata actually does laugh, pulling his phone out.

“Yeah you do!” He smirks. “You took the candy bar.”

That’s stupid logic. “You want it back?” I stick my tongue out, and he makes a face that doesn’t look entirely bothered.

“Gross!” Hinata shifts away from me, kicking my direction. “Just drive.”

It’s what I’m good at, so I stick to it. I get no complaints about the piano music and no complaints about the route I’m taking. A few times, Hinata scoffs or shakes his head, but he doesn’t open his mouth to voice anything. The quiet is nice, and I can actually focus on my job. Well, until I get an incoming call from Oikawa. “Tobio-chan!” He sings my name when I answer.

“I’m on my way to the next location.” I glance at the navigation. “Almost there.”

“Early as always.” Oikawa comments. “The first job, you’ll be supervising and the second, you’ll have to help Kindaichi and Kunimi. There’s some heavy lifting with that second one, and it’s also fragile cargo.”

Hinata inches closer to my phone on the dash. “What’re we moving?”

Oikawa laughs. “Oh, hello, Hinata! How could I forget you’re on the line, too?”

“Don’t say anything!” I hiss at him.

“Be nice, dear Tobio.” Oikawa uses that tone that he uses before yelling at me. “The first is a law firm that’s relocating, and the second is a rock band moving equipment from one storage facility to another.” He hums. “The law firm’s cargo is already in your truck, but you’ll use up the space with the band’s gear.”

I nod. “I got it.”

“I was talking to Hinata.” Oikawa snickers. “These are things you should already know.”

“I did know!”

Oikawa hums again. “Glad to hear it.” He sounds anything but glad. “Well, have fun, you two! I don’t want to hear about any mishaps, or anything like that, okay?”

I roll my eyes, pulling into the storage facility lot. “I got it.” I fold my arms after parking.

“I’ll keep him in line, boss man!” Hinata smacks my cap down, covering my eyes. “Have a good day, Oikawa!”

The call ends just as I push my hat back in the right place. Hinata looks much more triumphant than he should considering he’s absolutely dead. “Dumbass! Keep your hands to yourself.” I wrap an arm around his neck, using my other hand to roughly ruffle his hair.

“Stop it!” Hinata whines, trying to elbow his way out of my grip.

“Don’t do stupid shit, then!”

He tries to push me away. “Okay, fine!” I didn’t notice before, but being so close to Hinata, I can see the faint freckles across his cheeks and the flecks of gold in his eyes. How long have I been holding him so close, anyway? “Kageyama, let go already!” I do, kinda embarrassed it took me so long. Hinata pouts in that ineffective way of his, trying to fix his hair in his sun visor mirror. “Such a jerk!” He sighs. “So now what? We get started on unloading this thing?”

I shake my head. “You aren’t doing anything, and it’s not time yet.”

He cocks his head like a puppy. “Wait, what? We’re early?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what was all that rushing about?” Hinata frowns, eyes big. “We could’ve been exploring the town, or taking our time with breakfast! Why’d we hurry just to sit here and do nothing?”

There is no ‘we,’ and I don’t know who he thinks he is. I’m the professional, not him! “Don’t question me. This is my work, and I do it how I want.” This trip will feel like forever if he keeps acting this way, complaining and asking dumb shit. “I don’t tell you how to do your job, and you don’t tell me how to do mine. Got it?”

Hinata shrugs, getting his phone out to stare at it. “Whatever. Did you know tears look different under a microscope depending on the kind?”

“How?”

“I don’t know.” He turns the phone so I can see the screen. “But sad tears are different from happy tears.”

“That can’t be true.”

He points to the picture, holding it closer to my face. “That’s what it says!”

“Well, they all come from the same place, so how could they be different?” I turn to look out the window. The clouds are starting to get bigger and darker, even though they’re still far away. It’ll probably rain before the day ends.

Hinata frowns at his phone. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re right.”

“Duh.”

The extra time before the appointment goes the same way, Hinata saying random crap out loud and showing me weird videos and memes. I actually laugh a few times, but mostly I just keep checking the weather. A familiar turquoise blue car pulls up next to us and Hinata waves at it. “These your friends?” He asks.

“Coworkers. Don’t get in the way, and don’t try to help.” I remind him.

“I won’t!” Hinata makes a face before we get out. He practically runs over to the car, waving again. “Morning! I’m Hinata Shouyou, Kageyama’s temporary partner.” That’s a lie, but he’s already shaking hands by the time I walk over to the three. “I’m here to learn!”

Kindaichi raises an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

Kunimi blinks. “Oikawa said you’d be on the sidelines.”

“Ignore him.” I tell them, shoving Hinata back. “He doesn't know what he's talking about.”

Hinata elbows me. “Don’t push!”

“Don’t elbow!”

Kindaichi clears his throat. “Uh, okay. Well, let’s get started with inventory before the client gets here.”

“It'll make things more organized.” Kunimi tells Hinata.

Hinata nods, walking ahead of me to the trailer. “That makes sense! So how do you do inventory with a client’s cargo? Is it a numbered list, or a descriptive list?” He asks about a hundred more questions before I get the trailer door open and the ramp down. For some reason, the others answer him, showing the checklist and how we'll mark off items we see in here and how the client will do the same when we unload them. “Awesome! So do you just put their stuff in a new pile?” He asks, running a finger over the numbered label of a box. Kunimi explains the process and Kindaichi steps down to where I’m leaning against the trailer.

“So the king of the road's got a partner now?” Kindaichi asks, hands in his pockets.

I roll my eyes. “No. I’m just stuck with him until I drop his store's crap off, that’s all.”

He sort of smirks, but it’s small. “I thought it was weird. Working with someone so closely?” He scoffs. “Not like you at all.” I’m not sure if this comment bothers me. Actually, it does bother me, but I’m not sure why. I mean, I do prefer working alone, but why do people say that like it’s so bad? “Guess that hasn’t changed.”

“Guess not.”

Only a few more minutes pass until the client gets here, pulling up in a shiny red car. The driver is a little tall, fancy brown hair and sunglasses hiding his eyes like some big-shot attorney. The passenger is even taller, pale hair and a mean face not exactly very lawyer-like. When a third guy gets out from the backseat, he’s somehow even taller, and his hair has a weird bit of black at the front which definitely doesn’t look professional. Kindaichi is the first one over to them with Kunimi at his side, taking care of introductions. “Kunimi and I will bring your things in, Kageyama will check them off the list, you show us where to put them. That sound okay?”

“Sounds great.” The brunette smiles.

“Let’s get started!” The weird-haired one grins.

For a while, the process goes smoothly. The lawyer guys are busy moving around with Kindaichi and Kunimi, leaving me to do the checklist and pretend to talk with the clients, mostly the brunette one, every time they check off a box, but Hinata is sitting cross-legged on the floor with a pout. I nudge his leg with my shoe, not okay with his attitude around the clients. “You can’t act like that on the job.”

He sighs, leaning back on his elbows. “But I’m not doing anything!”

What’s the big deal? He’s not getting paid to be here, so I don’t see why he needs to do anything in the first place. I look over the checklist, realizing at this rate, we'll be here all afternoon. I sigh. “At least you don’t have to deal with these idiot lawyers. They don’t even know where to put their own boxes in their own office and keep stopping to talk to me.” I remind him. The brunette stops to talk about how much the firm has grown and then goes to yell at the weird-haired one for telling the guys to put things in the wrong rooms. “Annoying.”

“They’re people. People are social creatures.” Hinata smirks. “Perhaps you’re a martian.”

“Shut up.” I kick at him.

The light-haired one double checks a box with me, watching me mark it off the list without a word. Hinata waves at him. “Hey, you’re a lawyer?” Hinata asks. The light-haired guy shakes his head, and it’s then that I notice he’s missing eyebrows. How did I not notice that? “So if you’re not a lawyer, what do you do here?”

The no-eyebrows guy clears his throat. “Answer phones and schedule consultations.”

“No kidding?” Hinata smiles. “That sounds fun! So you get to know all your clients before the fancy lawyers do.” The no-eyebrows guy shrugs. “Did you ever want to be a lawyer?” He keeps up this conversation, asking and saying things, while the other guy pretty much says nothing. With them busy, I can take a step aside and focus on getting the rest of this crap checked off the list. It's a way to keep Hinata busy, and me sane. A crashing sound from down the hall interrupts that, though, and Hinata pops up to his feet and the other guy stands up straight. “What was that?”

It takes me a second to realize Hinata’s asking me. “How should I know?” I ask.

The no-eyebrows guy turns on his heel and walks quickly to the other room. Hinata follows, and with Kindaichi and Kunimi unloading the last of the boxes, I guess I’m supposed to follow, too. I sigh, hurrying to catch up with them. The weird-haired guy is on the floor with a bunch of papers all over and around him, and the brunette guy is chattering away like words will clean up the mess. “Koganegawa, are you serious right now?” The brunette rubs his temples. “Don’t run around corners, and especially not with boxes of important paperwork!” He’s trying not to yell and not doing great at it, but I don’t blame him.

“Are you okay?” The no-eyebrows guy holds his hand out to Koganegawa, basically shoving the brunette out of the way.

Koganegawa nods, taking the help. “I’m fine.” He gets to his feet, scrambling to get the papers in some sort of order. “I'm sorry, Futakuchi! I got it.” He holds his hand up at the brunette, who I guess is Futakuchi. “I’ll fix this.”

“No, just—” Futakuchi doesn’t finish his thought, the no-eyebrows guy putting a hand on his shoulder. He must use some force, or something, because Futakuchi sighs, forcing a smile. “Okay, it’s fine. Aone, please help him straighten this stuff out.” He pats Aone's hand. “Don’t worry either, Koganegawa. This can be fixed, and you’re not injured. I’m not mad at you.” He nods and gestures at me. “Let’s continue, shall we?”

Hinata cuts in front of me, keeping up with Futakuchi back to the remaining boxes. “So you’re really not mad?”

“Dumbass!” I pinch Hinata’s shoulder, hissing at him. “Don’t ask that.”

Futakuchi waves me off. “It’s alright. I apologize.”

“For what?” Hinata asks.

“Well, first of all, for my assistant. I know he can be troublesome.” He does that forced smile thing again. “But also for myself. I know I sometimes speak before thinking, and I shouldn’t be so hard on him.”

I check off the last of the boxes Kindaichi and Kunimi bring, showing Futakuchi so he can double check. “It’s hard when people push buttons.” I mutter under my breath when my coworkers leave to close up my truck. Well, I thought it was under my breath, but Hinata glares and Futakuchi laughs. “What? It’s true!”

“Yeah, well, you’re not wrong.” Futakuchi shrugs. “But friends should be good to each other.”

Hinata nods. “Yeah, I thought you were just coworkers.”

Futakuchi hums. “We started that way. I’ve known Aone for years, but Koganegawa only started as my assistant earlier this year.” He smiles, but it looks like maybe he’s actually happy this time. “It’s weird how some friendships grow fast, isn’t it?”

“It helps when you spend so much time together.” Hinata laughs. “I know how that goes!”

Futakuchi looks between us. “Yeah, I can tell you’re friends outside of being coworkers. It makes the job easier sometimes, but it can also make it so much harder other times!” He laughs.

I open my mouth to correct his wrong assumption, but Hinata smiles back at me and takes the words away. Something about that smile hits me hard, and I’m not sure exactly why. Does Hinata think we're friends? Does he want to be my friend? I don’t get a chance to think about it anymore because Kindaichi and Kunimi walk over. “Well, that’s a wrap! Checklist all done?” Kindaichi asks. I blink, handing the clipboard over to him. He looks at me funny, and I pretend like I don’t notice. I try to get my head on straight, but I can’t get that stupid smile out of my head. It’s not enough that he naturally smells like sunshine and comfort, but he has to look like it, too? Even after shaking hands with the clients and driving down the street to the next location, I’m not sure what to do with these thoughts.

“This is the last one for today, right?” Hinata asks after I park at the storage facility.

“Yeah.” I nod, trying not to look right at him.

“Then…can I help?” He pokes me in the arm. “Please? I get so bored sitting there, watching all of you working and doing stuff! I’d be really helpful, I know it. You just gotta let me show you.”

Oikawa made it very clear that Hinata isn’t covered by the company, and if he gets hurt, any expenses will come from my paycheck and then I’ll be fired. I can’t have that, and I can’t leave any room for argument. I pull my arm away from him, ready to get out of the truck. “No. You’re not allowed to.” I make the mistake of looking at him and his dumb brown eyes. With his build, I’m sure he’d make himself useful, but I can’t risk him getting hurt. “I have to do a lot of lifting this time, so…maybe you hold the checklist and keep the clients busy.”

“But I can’t lift anything?” He’s not pouting anymore, but at least his eyes are sparkling again.

“You wanna help or not?”

Hinata grins, leaping to get outside. “Yes! Let’s go, Yama-Yama.”

No idea where that name came from, but as long as he never uses it again, I won’t bother telling him to shut up. In the building, we meet up with the other two and a woman with short hair. She says her name is Misaki something, I think. “It’s just me today. I’m the band manager.” She smiles. “Is there anything I can do to help, or is it better for me to stand aside?”

“You can help with the checklist.” Kindaichi nods.

Kunimi gestures at me. “You wanna explain and we can start loading the truck?”

I nod, handing the clipboard to Hinata. “Since we’re moving music equipment, we won’t be using the usual symbols. We'll label stuff with number stickers and you write what it is we've labeled.” I point at the chart so he can follow along. I look up at Misaki. “You can help him make a note of what’s being labeled so we don’t forget anything, and you can sign the sheet after.”

Misaki nods. “Makes sense. Is he your apprentice?”

“For today.” Hinata laughs. “I’m new at this.”

“I'm sure you'll do just fine.” She smiles.

I scoff. “He better.”

Hinata elbows my ribs. “Be nice! I’m helping.”

Misaki covers her laugh, sorta shaking her head. “You remind me of some of the band’s members. I’m just glad I’m their manager and not in the band itself. I couldn’t last.”

“How come?” Hinata asks.

She shrugs. “Well, they’re very…enthusiastic, and don’t hesitate to show it.” What does that even mean? “I’ll just say some people should come with warning labels.”

“Agreed.” I smirk, wishing I’d known how loud Hinata can be so I could’ve brought earplugs on this trip. He doesn’t like my comment and takes a swing at me, but I dodge it and take a step back from them. “Easy! Don’t screw up, okay? I won’t have time to babysit today.”

Hinata throws a pen at me, which connects with my head. “I’m not a baby!” I throw it back, and he bats it out of the air. “Go get to work!”

All the band gear is secured and ready to be packed, so the labeling and loading doesn’t take much thought. What takes forever is figuring out how many people it’ll take to lift and carry things onto the handcarts and dolleys so we don’t hurt ourselves. We wear trainers, gloves and track pants for a reason, and all three of us know proper techniques, but amps and drums and cables can be really heavy. Every time I go over a bit of cargo with Misaki, I see her smiling and laughing with Hinata, almost like I’m interrupting some secret conversation they’re sharing. Hinata is one of those people that can talk to anyone, from straightforward women like Misaki to hulking men like Aone, and make friends like it’s what he was born to do. He’s one of those people that can somehow talk about anything, even though he’s not even smart. The weirdest part about it is the way he turns to me when I walk over, pausing his words to spare me a glance and that stupid smile of his. Even though I’m not actually a part of their chatter, that look makes me feel like I’m not intruding, or at least like it doesn’t bother him if I am. I have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about, but I don’t feel like I’m left out. I don’t understand it, but I don’t dislike it, either.

When everything’s in my truck, we say our goodbyes to Misaki and Kindaichi and Kunimi, getting back on the road. We don’t get far when a few drops hit the windshield, quickly turning into a steady downpour of rain. “Wasn’t supposed to rain until later.” I sigh, flipping the wipers on.

“At least we're inside, right?” Hinata asks.

“I guess.” I shrug. Driving in the rain isn’t so bad, but it looks to be picking up more and more.

A few minutes go by before Hinata starts talking again. “Do you think I was helpful? Like, doing the checking thing?” He asks. “I mean, it’s not hard work, but being part of the team feels better than sitting around doing nothing!”

The checklist isn’t hard, but it also isn’t fun. He’s also not getting paid, so whatever. “You didn’t screw anything up.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Yeah, I hear the sarcasm. “Well, this isn’t your job. You’re a store manager.”

“So?”

I see his frown, too. I roll my eyes. “So you aren't a mover. You’re not gonna be good at what I do.”

Hinata huffs. “Kageyama, that’s such a stupid thing to say! Are you stupid?” He shakes his head. “I do this kind of thing all the time. I travel and find cool things to sell in the shop, and I’m the one who loads it in my car and takes it to the shop and unloads it there. I can do all the stuff you do and smile while doing it.”

“It’s not the same.”

“How? How’s it any different?”

This is my entire life, not just a part of it. Maybe he does similar things once in a while, but I do this all day and every day. Doesn’t he see that? “I’m on the road every day, and this is all I do. I wake up early to drive and move and don’t rest until I’m done. You couldn’t do what I do, not how I do it.”

“How would you know?”

I roll my eyes. “You’re just a recycle shop manager.”

Hinata tugs at his own hair. “You sound like such a jerk!” He yells. “Just because you get up stupidly early just to sit in parking lots doesn’t mean I don’t work as hard as you! And I’ll have you know that your body needs rest and refueling, or else you’re no good to anyone. Why not enjoy that if it’s gotta be done anyway?” He motions at my phone. “And this music is really on my nerves! Can you change it, or turn it off altogether? I don’t know how you live like this and think it’s okay.”

I swat his hand away. “Don’t touch my phone.”

“I didn’t. And don’t touch me!”

“I didn’t!”

He throws his head back, sinking lower in his seat. “Could you just turn it off, Kageyama? King of the road, but not of the world. I don’t need to drive your way every second I’m around you.”

“Then we'll sit here in silence!” I shut my music down.

“Fine!”

I tighten my grip on the wheel. “Fine.” I have no problem keeping my mouth shut. Hinata doing the same is fine by me, too. I don’t need to hear him get all excited about stupid things, or laugh about something random. I’ll just listen to the tires over wet pavement and the rain pelting my truck. It’s fine. I don’t even care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned Hinata in my earlier note, but failed to mention I’ll be switching to his POV for chapter four! Next chapter: silence, friends and barbecue.


	4. Boundaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Hinata POV was an entirely different experience from Kageyama POV and I struggled cuz I'm nothing like Hinata XD Apologies if his voice is a little OOC. ..I tried my best!

Last night, I unplugged the alarm clock. Kageyama always goes to bed before me, so I took the opportunity to turn it off while he slept. Why? Well, I don’t want it waking me up for no reason. We waste time by rushing just to be super early and listen to his old man music, and I’m over it! Kageyama thinks I have to live by every single one of his rules, but a lot of his rules make no sense. It’s like he thinks his way is the only way, the best way, and that’s just not true. He’s not king of the universe! My way is just as valid, and he’s gonna see that whether he likes it or not.

The extra sleep is so good, I don’t even bother opening my eyes when I wake up. I stretch a little, curling back in a ball to hug my knees, nuzzle my pillow. Man, sleep is awesome! The first morning with Kageyama was nothing like this. The first morning was all rush, rush, rush and no relaxing at all. I didn’t get a lot of sleep the night before, and it made it hard to get going the rest of the day. Today will be different, though. Today will be better.

“Hinata!” Kageyama’s voice opens my eyes right up, the rest of me flailing to a sitting position in a flurry of blankets.

“What? What’s wrong?” I look around the room, wondering if he saw a big bug or hurt himself, or something. I don’t see anything out of place, though, and look at him, standing beside his bed. “Kageyama, what’s going on?” I ask just before getting smacked over the head with a pillow. “Hey, what the hell?” I try to block some of the hits, but he’s not stopping. “Stop! Stop hitting me.” I get a grip on his pillow, yanking it from him. “What’s wrong with you?”

His eyes get big, glaring at me. “What’s wrong with me?” He leaps forward, tackling me on my bed. “What’s wrong with you?”

I wrestle my way out of his grip, standing from the bed. “What’re you talking about?”

“You’re not that stupid!” He points at me. “You know what you did.”

I shake my head, still trying to just wake up. “What?”

Kageyama reaches over to the nightstand, holding the clock up. Well, I think I know what he’s so mad about now. “You did this. You…you fucking did this.” He slams it down, hands balled into fists. “You just have to ruin my plans, don’t you? You can’t let anything be easy!” He stomps over to the bathroom, slamming the door.

He shouldn’t be mad at me! I did us both a favor by letting us sleep longer and actually get some rest. If we did things his way, we’d just be in a hurry to go do nothing somewhere else. I walk over, knocking on the door. “Kageyama, you have nothing to be mad at! What’s so bad about getting extra sleep?” I ask. I want to see him to talk to him, but he won’t open the door, even when I keep knocking. “With so much work every day, rest is important, and you clearly needed the sleep if you didn’t wake up right away.” I mean, the guy works himself stupid and never takes a break! It’s such a dumb way to work. “Besides, now we won’t have to sit in a parking lot with nothing to do for an hour! This isn’t a bad thing, you know. It’s how I work, and I’m great at my job! Just trust me.”

The door swings open, Kageyama just standing there, eyes dark and stormy. “Trust you?”

Wow, he’s really mad. Was turning the alarm off really that big of a deal? I nod, ready to explain how my experience can help him get better at his job, but he pushes past me. “Yes, if you’d just let me tell you, we—”

“There’s no trust here.” He doesn’t even look back at me, packing up his bag. “There’s no ‘we.’”

What? I’ve been blindly following him, doing everything he says and everything he wants, going along with every little thing, and there’s no trust here? I don’t know what I’m doing, then, if riding in a stranger’s truck to mystery locations across the country isn’t trust. Maybe I didn’t trust him at the start, like with all my store’s cargo, but I’ve put my next week or so in his hands which is a lot to give a guy I hardly know! Unplugging the alarm clock really means none of that matters? Just like that? I walk over, standing a little ways away from him. “Kageyama, come on.” I scoff. He keeps his back to me, not even flinching. “Don’t be like that!” I want to shove him, to make him turn around, to make him talk, but he does nothing. I’ve seen him annoyed and grumpy, and I’ve seen him yell at random people from the inside of the truck cab, but I’ve never seen him act like this. Is this what he’s like when he’s super upset? How am I supposed to deal with this? “Yama-Yama?” I reach out, not quite touching his shoulder.

Kageyama shakes his head no.

We don’t get breakfast and we don’t get coffee. We don’t even say anything on the way out of the room and to the truck. We don’t talk about the next job and we don’t talk about what happened. We just sit there, without music, and stare out the windshield.

All I wanted was for Kageyama to see that I’m just as capable as he is, and for him to respect my ideas. I wanted him to see that his job, his life, could be more fun if he’d just let it be. I don’t want him to be in a bad mood, especially for work, and I don’t want him to ignore me. I don’t want him to be mad at me.

Why does any of this matter? It shouldn’t, really, but it does. I shouldn’t care so much, but I do. I care. I can’t explain why, or what it is about him that makes me…feel things. It’s weird! He doesn’t feel like a stranger, or someone I’ve just met. He feels like someone who deserves to smile and laugh. I want to make him smile and laugh, and want to show him how fun his job can really be. He gets to travel all the time, but never explores. He gets to experience new people every day, but doesn’t have conversations. He comes across unknown businesses and objects and hobbies, but doesn’t dive into those worlds. I want to be the one who opens his eyes to these things, but only if he'll let me. And that’s not happening anytime soon.

Kageyama sits there, laser-focused on the road ahead of us. The blue of his eyes looks even darker than normal, like a shadow over them. His mouth is in its typical frowny form, but somehow more drawn in, more purposeful, than usual. His shoulders look tense, fingers gripping the wheel so hard, his knuckles are going white. This Kageyama is not approachable.

Not to say I haven’t tried! I made a comment about the weather, the storm clouds nowhere in sight today, but it just fell into the rest of the silence around us. The only other thing I said was that it wasn’t as late as I thought it was, but that also turned into nothing as soon as the words left my mouth.

After forever, my stomach growls. I’m not even going to ask Kageyama if we can stop for food because every time I get ignored, it bothers me a little more. I find a couple chocolate bars behind my seat and settle for eating those, trying to make them last.

To pass the time, I pull my phone out and text one of my best friends and coworkers, Yamaguchi. He has good energy, and he’s known me for years. I start with a normal greeting: ‘Morning, Yamaguchi! Do you work today?’ As of right now, Yamaguchi is still working at the original store. When everything finally gets to the new one, he'll be one of my employees! I don’t see him as anything but an equal, though, even if I will be his manager. We're on the same team, after all!

A few minutes pass before he replies: ‘Hi! I have the day off. I’m meeting Tsukki and Yachi for coffee later, which will be nice.’ Tsukki is another one of the crew who’s switching to the new store. Yachi will be staying, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less important to us.

‘Tell them I say hi~’

Yamaguchi replies faster this time. ‘I will! What does your day look like?’

I’m not sure I wanted him to ask. I kinda want to talk about it since Kageyama won’t, but I kinda don’t want to feel all…feely again. I sigh, staring out my window. Yamaguchi is a very nice guy, so I don’t think venting a little to him can go badly. ‘Not sure! On our way to some place and I think it’s the only one for today? He’s hard to read…’

He should know how that goes. Tsukishima is a wall with a mask on it, and they’re best friends! ‘That’s not so bad, is it? You’re still getting to know each other!’

This is a pretty good point, but today’s different. ‘True…but I think he hates me :(‘

‘That’s impossible :) I think you just need to understand each other better. That takes time, but he'll see what a great friend you are!’

Such a Yamaguchi thing to say! I wonder if that’s how he handled things with Tsukishima? ‘Did it take a long time for Tsukki to warm up to you?’ It’s almost hard to imagine with how close they are now, but Tsukishima can be a big ol' prickly pear!

Yamaguchi takes a second to reply. ‘Not exactly…I’m quiet, so I think that made it easier? In your case, you’re not the quiet type so it might be harder for that guy to adjust.’

Again, he makes a lot of sense. If Kageyama was so used to boring gloom, being around someone fun and happy must be real new! I glance over at him, just to see if he’s softened at all. If anything, his frown is deeper and his eyes darker. He’s still mad. ‘I guess so! I just don’t need him to hate me since we're stuck with each other a while…’ I sigh. It shouldn’t matter if he hates me, but even if we never see each other again after this, I don’t want to be hated for no reason.

‘I’m sure he doesn’t hate you! Just give him time :) I’m sure he'll warm up to you.’

I’m not so sure about that.

Even after I finish the candy bars and let them sit, my stomach isn’t satisfied. It feels ugly and empty, like my insides are attacking themselves in a wild frenzy. I don’t want to look for more candy, but I need something to stop this growling! Rummaging through Kageyama’s stuff is definitely off the table, but I saw him eat a protein bar earlier. If I ask him for one, he probably won’t give me an answer and then I’ll just feel bad all over again. Maybe if I ignore it, the pain will just go away, even a little. I shut my eyes, leaning back in my seat, careful not to let my head touch the window. I guess I’ll open my eyes when we finally get to the next stop and maybe I’ll find a vending machine, or I’ll just stop being hungry. I’m not sleepy, or anything, but I don’t know what else to do.

When the truck stops, it jolts me alert. I can see we’re parked somewhere, but we’re definitely not at the next location. It looks like we’re at a fuel station, or something, but I’m pretty sure we’re not due for more gas for a while. I turn to look at Kageyama, but he shoves his hand right in front of my face. Blinking, my eyes focus on what’s in his hand. “Your credit card?” I check the dashboard, confirming the tank is more than half full. “We’re good on gas.” I remind him. My stomach growls again, louder this time than any of the times earlier! Kageyama rolls his eyes before turning away, shoving the card in my face again. Maybe he doesn’t hate me after all!

I know I shouldn’t take forever, but there’s so much I wanna get! Fried chicken, pork buns, egg sandwiches, curry chips, cream pastries, rice balls…so many options. I grab some of everything, getting more drinks, too. I’m not sure why Kageyama stayed in the truck since he hasn’t eaten a whole lot either, but it was nice of him to give me his card, especially when he’s so mad at me. Maybe I should get him something, too. Not to give him a gift, or anything like that! But just to say thank you, or I’m sorry? Yeah, I’ll get him something to eat. He seemed to like pork buns alright, and isn’t very adventurous with his food choices. He likes a lot of milk in his coffee, too, and doesn’t like messy foods. I’m sure I can find something suitable for him around here, and maybe it’ll show him that he doesn’t need to hate me.

I barely have time to hop in the truck before we’re on the road again, but I get comfortable and sort through my loot with a smile. My stomach is so excited to dig in! Oh, but first, I should give Kageyama his stuff. I set his drink in the holder closest to him, his food in his lap and slide his card under his thigh. “Hm?” He mumbles, looking at his new things. “Hm.” He doesn’t touch anything at first, but after I make it a point to show off how yummy my food is, Kageyama gives in and takes a bite. Victory!

The next stop is in a busy city, complete with skyscrapers and honking cars and bright lights! People are covering the sidewalks, hurrying to get someplace, shopping bags and fancy drinks in hand. Every building seems to offer something different, from restaurants to clothing stores to tech shops. It all looks like a lot of fun! Expensive, sure, but fun. Of course, we don’t stop or use any of the busiest streets. We turn down weird paths and alleys, the truck too much of a traffic jam otherwise. When we actually do stop, it’s behind a big apartment complex, shiny windows and angular balconies and everything. It’s so cool to see the big city lights and buildings reflecting in the glass and metal! It’s like a tall mirror, or something, showing off everything the city has to offer. If only we could explore even a tiny bit of it.

Kageyama still ignores me when we get out of the truck. He walks over to the blue-green car next to us, where a guy with nice eyes is standing next to a guy with mean eyes. “Hey, Kageyama. Traffic okay?” The one who looks like he’s nice asks.

“It was okay. Sorry I’m late.” He sighs. “It won’t happen again, Yahaba.”

“Don’t be silly.” Yahaba smirks. “You’re not late.” He waves at me. “Hello! You can call me Yahaba. It’s nice to meet you.” He gestures at the mean looking one. “This is Kyoutani, by the way.”

Not only is he scowling, his eyes look like they belong to a feral animal! I wave back. “I’m Hinata Shouyou.” I point to the building. “How does this work if the clients live way up there and the truck is down here?”

“The lift, obviously!” Kyoutani scoffs.

Yahaba puts a hand on his back, still sort of smiling in a polite way. “They’re on the fifth floor. We'll take what we can carry to the lift, then bring it out here. Kageyama, you can stay in the lobby to help unload to the truck, and Hinata, would you like to be in charge of holding the lift when we load?”

It’s been made super clear that I’m not really supposed to help, so before I get too excited, I turn to Kageyama. He avoids my eyes but shrugs, which is good enough for me! “Yes! Let’s go.”

On the way up, Yahaba makes very little small talk but doesn’t lose his smile. Kyoutani doesn’t say a word, looking pissed at everything in sight. “It’ll be nice having an extra set of hands around! I always thought Kageyama should have a partner.” Yahaba mentions on our way to the apartment door. “Do you like working with the king of the road?”

“I think we can work really well together.” I shrug. “But I’m only helping out. He’d probably kill me if I let you call us partners.”

For some reason, this makes Yahaba laugh. “Good old Kageyama.”

At the door, a human mountain answers the knock. He’s kinda built like that Aone guy yesterday, but this one has eyebrows! He nods, holding a hand out. “Blue Castle?” Futakuchi nods, shaking his hand. “I’m Ushijima Wakatoshi. Please come in.” Kyoutani shakes his hand next, and I do, too, walking into the flat. The walls are all bare, white and empty, and the floor is shiny and slick without any rugs to cover it. It doesn’t feel cold, though. The place has a warmth to it, like we’re welcome to stay and visit, or something. Ushijima gestures to a corner of the room where stuff hasn’t been packed yet. “Everything but the stuff in this corner can be taken.”

“Wow!” I walk over to the big window near the corner of unpacked things. The view is super cool! Suddenly, my reflection isn’t the only one in the glass.

“Isn’t it lovely?” The figure asks. I turn, surprised at how close the stranger is standing. He throws an arm around my shoulders, dragging me to another spot at the window. “You see that building over there? With the pointy top and greenish roof?” He jabs his finger to the window, then presses his whole hand against it. “I’m gonna miss seeing that sight every morning when the sun hits it.” He sighs, pulling me in against his side. “But it’s only a still image in a world of movement! Life moves on.”

I’m not sure what he’s talking about, but I nod anyway. “Why move if you like it so much?”

He rakes his free hand through his messy hair the color of cherries. “Well, my good man, this isn’t the ideal place to start our next chapter. We want a new space for our new venture.” He wiggles his ring finger near my face, shiny band of gold catching the light. “Life keeps moving!”

“You must be Tendou Satori.” Yahaba says.

Tendou turns us both around to the rest of the group, smiling. “Right you are!” He releases me.

“So the things in the corner are going with you and the rest goes with us?” Yahaba asks.

“Yes.” Ushijima nods. “We have some chores to take care of before moving in, and we'll be staying at the house now.”

That makes sense! They can’t live in an empty house, but can’t carry everything with them. I nod along as Yahaba explains the procedure to them, going over the checklist process and how they can help while staying out of the way. As they listen, I notice Ushijima pretty much just stands there like a tree, but Tendou keeps physical contact with him, like by holding onto Ushijima’s arm or leaning against his shoulder. It doesn’t seem like the brunette is bothered by it, but it’s weird that the other would keep it up with no return of affection. “You got a handle on that, sweetie?” Tendou asks, glancing at Ushijima.

Ushijima is frowning at the clipboard in both of his hands, but nods. “I think so.”

Yahaba and Kyoutani start moving things out and I try my best to stay off to the side. Holding the lift for them is pretty boring, but helping at all is better than nothing! “You sure have a lot of stuff! You must’ve been living here a long time.” I notice the boxes don’t seem to dwindle.

Tendou leans against the wall, smirking. “I hold onto too much. One of my many flaws.”

“Please don’t exaggerate.” Ushijima shakes his head. “All humans are flawed, but you’re not above average.”

“You’re too kind!” Tendou laughs like that was somehow a compliment. “I’m sentimental. I keep things I know just take up space, but letting go isn’t the easiest thing. It’s much easier to just…keep it all. Like a dragon hoarding treasure.”

Something about the redhead is rather dragon-like. Maybe it’s the fire in his eyes, or the wild way he moves. “Is it hard to move out, then? If you’re the sentimental type?” I ask.

Tendou hums, thinking it over with a tap to his chin. “Yes and no.”

“Really?”

He nods. “Oh yeah! It’s hella scary, actually, to leave this place when it’s all I’ve known for years. It’s a huge change going from the city to the suburbs, and to a house, no less! It’s only natural to wanna run from new things at first.” Tendou inches a little closer to me, using a quieter voice. “But it’s also super exciting, and I actually can’t wait to move! A house to share with Wakatoshi and our five future pet birds? Sign me up!”

“We agreed on two.” Ushijima corrects him.

“Okay, fine. Two.” Tendou smirks with a chuckle. “But a new place with new memories and new adventures? New things can be the best things!”

Trusting that change will be good isn’t easy, though. “How did you get over the fear?” I ask.

Tendou makes his eyes big, shaking his head a bunch. “Oh, no, I haven’t gotten over it! I’m still scared as hell to start this journey. Change is terrifying!”

“But it’s going to happen.” Ushijima looks up from the chart. “Nothing stays the same forever.”

“So embrace it!” Tendou grins. “Let that train of the unknown just run you over, and roll with whatever pieces you can find.”

Ushijima blinks. “That’s disturbing.”

Tendou laughs, but doesn’t change his words.

When the flat is emptied, we help the two carry the rest to their car. Well, Yahaba and Kyoutani help them and I just tag along. Kageyama helps load the car, too, yawning a couple times between boxes. “That’s all?” Kageyama asks, hands on the open hatchback.

“That’s all.” Ushijima nods and Kageyama shuts the door.

We say our goodbyes, shaking hands and acting polite. A handshake isn’t enough for Tendou, and he fully pulls me in for a hug. “Thanks for helping out, little man! And don’t forget to welcome your fears. They’ll make you grow big and strong.”

“Shut up!” I try not to laugh, but it sounded so dumb!

Tendou laughs, too, until he hears his name being called. “Satori.” Ushijima holds a hand out, just a little, and wiggles his fingers. I guess he’s not afraid of affection after all! Tendou skips over to him, instantly intertwining their fingers, and his smile grows. When he’s holding hands with his fiancé, he doesn’t look scared at all.

It’s getting dark on our drive out of the city. I don’t have any food left over from earlier, but even holding the lift and talking with Tendou worked up my appetite. I look over at Kageyama, eyes locked on the road ahead. His hat casts a shadow over his face, but he isn’t frowning as much as earlier. Even his eyes don’t look so dark and gloomy! I wonder if work put him in a better mood, or if he’s maybe a little less mad at me. I’m not gonna be the one to say something first, though, just in case he’s still pissed off and wants to bite my head off. I’ll just sit here and watch the sun set through the windshield, and try not to notice how pretty it makes Kageyama look.

When we turn off the highway, we pass through a small town. There aren’t any big buildings that reflect the sky, no bustling streets filled with folks, no bright lights in too many colors to count. We pass by some small houses and a plaza or two, some of the roads not paved too well and some signs painted by hand. It’s not anything like the city, but I’m still bouncing in my seat to see what this place has to offer! Even the smallest of towns have something to love, and I’m sure this place is no different.

Kageyama pulls into one of the plazas, using the side of the lot to park. I don’t see any place to stay nearby, so what’re we doing here? “Um…this isn’t a hotel.” I mention.

He rolls his eyes. “Come on.”

I follow him out of the truck, up the walkway to one of the smaller shops. He holds the door open behind himself, and I’m immediately hit with the smell of barbecue. My mouth waters, the grilled meat fumes dragging me further inside the restaurant. “How'd you find this place? It smells amazing!” I ask.

He shrugs. “I don’t always just drive through places.”

“Oh man, we gotta get some of this to go! I’ll be super careful not to make a mess, or anything.” I guess I forgot that I wasn’t gonna say anything to him, but the thought of barbecue is more important than giving him the silent treatment! “Can we, then? I’m starving!”

“Not this time.” He shakes his head. So did he bring me in here as a mean joke? Just tempting me to take it all away? Before I can yell at him, he walks away, but not out the door. Instead, he goes to a table for two. He nods at the other seat, making himself comfortable with a menu.

Looks like we’re eating good tonight! I rush over, deciding I want one of everything. Kageyama doesn’t rush me and takes his time eating, and it’s so weird. We haven’t sat down like this, slowly enjoying a meal, and I can’t help but feel like this is a trap. “So…why're we here instead of in a room with takeaway?” I don’t want that to sound ungrateful. “Don’t get me wrong! I prefer this, but we don’t…do this.”

Kageyama sighs. “Just shut up and eat.”

Okay then. I make a face at him, but eat anyway because this food is so good! I can barely walk back to the truck, my belly's so full, and I’m happy to sit in silence on the way to our hotel. After Kageyama parks, he doesn’t move from his seat. Is he waiting for something? “Kageyama?” I ask, remembering not to poke him.

“Look.” He turns to me with a long sigh. “You have your work history, but this is my work, right now. My life.”

Even in the dark, I can see his eyes are intense, like they’re looking through me. He does things his way, and I guess it works for him. It seems so weird to me, so different. Maybe I can get used to it if I give it a chance? “It'll be a better day tomorrow.” If I trust him, I can’t be afraid to follow his lead. When he trusts me, then maybe he'll be willing to try things my way. “Trust me.”

Kageyama nods, adjusting his hat. “Let's go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Kags POV next chapter, along with dancing, red hands and an exclusive concert.


	5. Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the very next day from the last. Can you believe their roadtrip is halfway over?

Every new day with Hinata is a day of trying my patience and ignoring my heartbeat. He does a lot of shit I don’t like. Like, he sings every time he walks to the bathroom, and when he walks out of it. He takes forever tying his shoes and combing his hair. He eats enough for three, snores in his sleep and thinks he’s smarter than me. What’s worse is when he does shit I don’t…dislike. Like how he hums when he’s making a decision and when he finds something he likes. He laughs for no reason and isn’t afraid to say whatever pops up in his mind. He shares his food, never gives up on anything and has freckles that show up in the sun. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with the stupid butterflies in my gut. I hardly know the guy, and we only have a few more days together, but I can’t seem to talk sense into myself. There’s no point in caring about him when we won’t see each other after this and I know that. My stupid heart just can’t help itself.

Down the hall from our room, a few vending machines are loaded with good stuff. Hinata took all the change we had and went to grab some snacks for later while I get ready since he got up extra early to shower before me. I’m glad he’s not lazing around in bed past the alarm, but did he really need to use up all the hot water? He did leave me the bigger towel, but still! I brush my teeth and shave and throw on some clean clothes. I mean, they’re not clean clean, but they smell fine to me. I only have Blue Castle logo stuff, so nobody can tell how much I’ve reused anything.

Hinata walks back in, juggling everything he bought us in his arms. “Are you ready? I got us plenty for later, and even some for right now!” He looks down at the food and drinks, thinking hard about something. “Hm. Maybe I got too much? Well, whatever! It’s better to have too much than too little.” He laughs a little, shoving everything into a bag he saved from a few stops ago.

“I’m ready.” I sling my bag over my shoulder, glancing around the room to be sure I haven’t forgotten anything. “Let’s get going.”

The first part of the drive is pretty quiet with Hinata stuffing his face and passing me whatever I might like. Not even food will keep him silent, though, and he points at different things we pass. “Look at the size of that tree!” He wipes his mouth with his sleeve. “You think they race all those horses?” His lips are always chapped. “Kageyama, that billboard wants you to drink more water. Good thing I bought you a bottle!” He licks his lips. “That cloud looks like a flying bird. Look real quick!” His fingers never touch the window. “Do you have any dancey piano music?”

“What?”

He points at my phone. “Something more upbeat. You know, that doesn’t sound like we’re in a waiting room.”

I don’t think it sounds like that, but whatever. I have a lot of piano on my phone in all kinds of beats. “Don’t be stupid.” There are a few songs that I think he might complain less about. I queue them up and get my eyes back on the road.

“You’re stupid.” Hinata makes a face at me, sticking his tongue out, but his whole expression changes when the next song starts. His eyes get big and he sorta laughs. “Listen to that! See? You have fun music, too. We should listen to this more often!” He smacks my arm, smirking at me. It only takes a few seconds of this song for him to start moving his shoulders, then his arms and hips, still buckled in his seat. He looks so dumb, but also really happy and I hate how adorable that is. “Wanna dance with me?” Hinata asks.

I can’t dance. I mean, even if I wanted to, I’m behind the wheel. “Dumbass, I’m driving.”

“Thanks for stating the obvious.” He smirks. “Just move a little! This song has a great, danceable beat.”

“No.”

“Why? Afraid you'll suck?”

Does he think I can’t dance? I can do whatever I want, but I don’t feel like it right now. “That’s not what I said!” I tell him, but he doesn’t look like he believes me. He’s about to be proven wrong! I pick out the beat, trying to move with it while keeping one hand on the wheel.

He laughs, inching a little closer to me. “There you go!” I put more effort into it, feeling the music through me. His moves start to match mine, and I can’t help that it makes me smile.

“I never said I couldn’t dance.” I remind him.

He nudges me. “You never said you could, either!” Hinata’s so close, I can see the flecks of gold in his eyes. I can smell that sunny scent that always follows him. I can almost feel the warmth of his skin where we nearly touch. I can’t let my eyes stay on him for too long or my heart will start to speed. And I also might crash.

A weird beeping sound interrupts the music, putting an end to our dance. I’m not sure where it’s coming from, either. “What is that?”

Hinata fumbles around, patting his pockets. “My phone.” I pause the music when he answers it. “Hey, Suga! How’s it going?” He manages to sit still, barely out of breath. “Well that’s good. I know how bad your allergies can get.” Hinata laughs, keeping the phone off speaker so I only get his side of things. “I’m doing good! I think today will be a good day.” He nods. “No problems here. We’re getting along better than ever!” It’s not a lie, I guess. “I’m having fun, yeah. I mean, it’s nothing like I expected, but I’m still having a good time.”

“That’s not my fault! This isn’t a holiday.” I mumble.

Hinata gasps. “Don’t eavesdrop, Kageyama! That’s rude.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re having a conversation right here. How can I not hear you?”

He swats at me, barely hitting my arm. “Anyway, yeah, it’s been fun. We only have one job today, but it might be a long one.” Hinata tells his boss. “No, I’m not allowed to. I wish, though! They said something about libel something. Yeah, liability!” He shakes his head. “They don’t know that I do most of the heavy lifting back at the shop, or that I make trips to get the good stuff. I can handle all this work with my eyes closed, but they won’t let me.” He’s pouting, but it doesn’t last long because he gasps. “It’s not smart of them, Suga! It’s unfair.”

I try to stop listening to them talking, but it’s not that easy. I try to just focus on driving, but Hinata’s gotta be the most distracting person on the planet. His voice is loud, and he laughs at everything. When he does, his whole body shakes, the laugh moving from his belly, up his chest and out his mouth. He smiles a lot when he talks to people, too, showing his teeth most of the time. The ones in the front are turned in a little, not exactly straight, but it somehow suits him. Sometimes when he's listening instead of talking, he'll run a hand through his hair, messing up the already messy orange strands. Why is his hair so out of control? He hugs his knee, not resting his foot on the seat, and taps a beat on his thigh. His socks are barely visible in his trainers, but one is clearly black and one white. I think he packed his socks by shoving a fistful in his bag instead of rolling pairs together because they never match. He snacks when he’s on the phone, too, unwrapping chocolate bars and making sure he’s snapped them along the lines before biting into one. He thinks it’s fine to leave the wrappers in his drink holder, like it’s his own personal trash can. I want to tell him to stop being a pig, but he hands me some candy and the words die on my tongue. When he’s done eating, he licks his fingers clean and then uses his sleeve to wipe his mouth. He finally ends his call with a big, bright smile, staring off into space. I glance over at him, surprised to find he’s actually staring at me. “What?” I ask, eyes forward again.

“We could work really well together.”

What does he mean by that? As friends? As lovers? As people who make a life together? Why would he even say such stuff? “What’re you talking about?” I tighten my grip on the wheel.

“On the road!” Hinata gestures out the window.

Okay, my heart can slow down now. For some reason, though, it doesn’t. “How?”

He shrugs. “Even if you don’t believe me, I know some nice detours and shortcuts all over the place. And I’m a lot stronger than people think I am! And I’m fast. If you’d let me help, you’d never wanna drop me off.”

“I can’t let you.” I scoff. “Even if I wanted to, you’re not allowed.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing!” Hinata says this like a song, getting back to his candy. Instead of handing me a wrapped chocolate, he hands me one of the pieces he broke off his own bar. Our fingers brush when I take it from him, and I hate it. Well, I guess what I really hate is how it makes me feel all mushy inside. It makes my face warm and it sends my heart racing and my gut does this stupid fluttery thing. I don’t want any of this, but it won’t fade. Every day with Hinata, I find more crap that pushes me away and more crap that pulls me in. He'll be out of my life in a week, but I can’t get my stupid brain back in check and understand that. I hate it.

Closer to the storage place, I get a call and answer it on speaker. “Afternoon, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa greets me. “And to you, too, little one.” He kinda laughs, but Hinata isn’t amused.

“I’m not little!”

Oikawa hums. “I’ve seen your social media photos. Your boss has been refreshingly generous with his information.” I guess this is enough to shut Hinata up because he just sits there pouting. “So, Tobio. I presume you’re almost at the storage facility?”

I nod. “Almost there.”

“This is the band equipment. Remember: it’s heavy and fragile cargo. You can help Makki and Mattsun with the heavy lifting, and our shortie pie can tackle the checklist.”

Hinata sits up straighter. “Are you sure?”

“About what?” Oikawa asks.

“I can do a lot more!” Hinata nods. “Ask Suga! I lift heavy stuff every day, and I’ve loaded and unloaded trucks and vans before.”

Oikawa sighs. “Love the enthusiasm, but I can’t let you do that.”

“But I’m good!”

“Unfortunately, as someone who doesn’t work for me, I can’t allow it for legal reasons. If you pulled a muscle and needed surgery, where would that leave me and my company?” Oikawa doesn’t wait for an answer. “You’ll have to settle for clerical assistance at most. Consider yourself lucky I’m allowing even that.”

Hinata sighs, shaking his head. “I don’t feel so lucky.”

“Riding alongside Tobio? I should think not!” Oikawa laughs.

“That’s not why.” Hinata slouches in his seat. “It’s fine. I’ll take on the checklist and keep the clients out of the way, no problem. Maybe we'll even finish early!”

Again, Oikawa hums. “I like the sound of that. Well, have fun, you two! I don’t want to hear about any mishaps. Don’t forget: Makki and Mattsun will be over for dinner later, and they’ll tell me everything.”

“You mean they’ll tell Iwaizumi everything.” I roll my eyes.

Oikawa huffs. “They love me just as much as they love him, okay?” I don’t know if this is true, but I got a reaction and that’s a point for me! “You know what? Just get to work. And be good, damn it!” He ends the call.

In the parking lot, Hinata is weirdly quiet, facing out his window. It’s not a normal quiet like when he's listening to someone talk or his mouth is full. For some reason, it makes me feel unsettled somehow. I know Oikawa can be annoying, but I didn’t think he’d get under Hinata’s skin. I shove him just to get his attention. “What’s with you?” I ask.

“I’m not a professional mover, and I know that.” He turns to me, eyes weirdly darker than usual. “But I can do the work like one. Even better!” The corners of his mouth turn up, his brow slightly furrowed. “I’ll prove it.” For whatever reason, I believe him.

We play the hand slapping game in the parking lot while we wait for the others to show up. We keep our eyes locked, taking turns smacking the back of each other’s hands. Hinata really sucks at first, and I get on a roll. He takes advantage of me laughing at him to move his hands before I can hit them, though, ending my streak. When he takes his turn, his tongue sticks out a bit but his eyes stare back at mine. Sometimes they look so deep, so…pretty. As I’m lost in that stare, he smacks the backs of my hands too easily, grinning at his victory. “Just luck!” I scoff, refocusing. His luck lasts a few rounds, hitting me over and over again in a row. What am I doing wrong? The more he wins, the more his eyes sparkle and the more I can’t concentrate.

“Is that them?” Hinata asks, looking over my shoulder.

If I didn’t hear the car honk, I might’ve thought it was a trap, but we drop our hands and watch the turquoise car pull up. I never see them outside of work, but Iwaizumi says Matsukawa and Hanamaki are never apart, and even have their own eye language. They step out of the car at the same time, waving at us. “Afternoon.” Matsukawa sorta smiles. “I’m Matsukawa Issei. You must be Hinata.”

“Hanamaki Takahiro.” Hanamaki nods with a similar polite smile.

Hinata waves back wildly, jumping forward to stand closer. “Nice to meet you both! I’m really excited to be helping you today.” Hinata grins. “Kageyama and Oikawa said I’ll be doing the checklist, so I hope that works for you two.”

“Be our guest.” Hanamaki smirks.

“That’s the least fun job.” Matsukawa nods in agreement.

Hinata turns to me with a little pout. “See? Everyone knows I should be helping more.”

“Idiot.” I roll my eyes. “That’s not what they said.”

“Well, that’s what they meant.”

I shove his shoulder, making him turn back to the others. “Shut up! You can’t read minds.”

Hinata pushes back, making a face. “I know that, jerk!”

Hanamaki and Matsukawa glance at each other, but their eyes quickly go back to us. “So. You like working with Kageyama so far?” Hanamaki asks.

“The king of the road normally works alone, you know.” Matsukawa adds.

Hinata nods, lightly punching my arm. “Yeah, but we’re doing alright!” His smile is big. “Haven’t killed each other yet, so that’s a win.” He makes the others laugh. “I don’t know why Oikawa made it sound like it’d be so hard to work with him. I mean, aside from the long routes he always takes.”

I swat at him again, messing up his hair. “Don’t complain!”

“Quit it!” Hinata smacks the bill of my hat down, covering my eyes. “Not my fault it’s the truth, Kageyama.”

When I get my cap back in place, I catch the other two looking at each other again, with matching smirks this time. Matsukawa raises his thick eyebrows, clearing his throat. “Shall we head inside, then?”

We agree and go in the storage building. The clerk at the front desk says to head around back since the clients are waiting at their unit. I’ll have to move my truck closer to it, but Oikawa says I have to meet the clients before ignoring them. We follow the sound of loud singing and tapping, finding three men sitting by an open storage unit. The one with light brown hair is tapping away on his phone while the one with darker hair slaps the floor and the blonde one sings. It’s a loud mess of noise, and it thankfully stops when they see us. The blonde jumps up, grinning like a maniac. “Hey! You’re the movers, right?” He shakes all of our hands without getting an answer.

“We just felt like matching today.” Hanamaki smirks, tugging at his shirt and getting laughs.

The other two clients shake hands, too, saying their names. I think the one with light hair is Bobata, the one with darker hair is Futamata and the blonde one is…I don’t remember. Futamata sits back on the floor, palms down. “You guys got a minute, right?” He asks.

“Well, we’re on your time now.” Matsukawa sorta laughs.

“Great!” The blonde jumps back to his earlier spot on the floor. “We’re working on a new song, so tell us what you think, okay?”

Bobata steps back, aiming his phone at them. “Honest opinions only.” He smirks at us.

Hinata tugs on my shirt sleeve, smiling. “How fun! We get a show.”

“Lay it on us.” Matsukawa nods.

I want to walk away, bring the truck around to a better spot, get out of here so I won’t have to hear this, but Hinata has a grip on my arm and isn’t letting go. His hand is warm through the fabric, calloused near his fingers. He’s so interested in the music, eyes shining and wide, mouth in an open smile. His teeth are pretty white for someone who only brushes for a minute every night and morning. He needs lip balm, but I don’t think he even owns any. He looks over at me, squeezing my arm, and bounces on his feet. I don’t think he knows I’ve been staring at him, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

I actually realize I’ve been so distracted, I haven’t heard the band practice their song. Like, at all. It’s weird without instruments, Futumata’s hands hitting the floor in place of drums, while the other guy sings about having a good weekend, or something. Bobata smirks while filming this, apparently proud of what he’s seeing. Hanamaki and Matsukawa are standing close, exchanging looks but staying silent. Don’t we have a lot of work to do?

The song finally ends, but we stay quiet until Bobata puts the phone down. “Nice.” He smirks, looking over his shoulder at us. “What'd you think?”

I’d rather not say, so I just stand there. Matsukawa and Hanamaki nod, giving some words of approval that mostly just sounds like muttering. Hinata, though, finally lets my arm go, stepping forward just to squat at the band's level. “That was so awesome, guys!” He throws his fists up in the air. “The drumming was so cool, like bam, bam, ba-bam! And the singing was so wow, whoa! I didn’t know you could sing like that, Terushima!” Hinata tells the blonde. He turns around to Bobata, tilting his head. “Do you normally do the filming and picture taking?”

“Nah.” Bobata shakes his head. “I’m the guitarist, but it’s hard to do anything but air guitar with all my stuff packed.”

Terushima points at himself. “I normally play bass, too!”

“That’s so awesome! I’d love to play an instrument, but it takes too long to learn.” Hinata laughs. “You guys play a lot to big crowds and stuff?”

Futumata flops back, staring at the ceiling. “All the time. This is our only break for forever.”

“Must be tiring being a rockstar.” Hanamaki sighs.

Matsukawa nods. “Hectic schedules, I’m sure.”

“You got that right.” Bobata agrees.

Hinata hums. “Yeah, so it’s a good thing you guys are good! That’d be a lot to give up if your band turned out sucky.”

I nudge him. “Stupid!”

Matsukawa and Hanamaki snicker, but Terushima stands, suddenly looking like he won something. “But we love it!” He announces. “Anything worth doing is worth making sacrifices for, and taking big risks. Right guys?” He looks to his bandmates, and they smirk back at him.

“Hell yeah!” Futumata gives a thumbs up.

“Good point.” Bobata nods.

Hinata crosses his arms with a smile. “You know, you’re right! Don’t you think, Kageyama?” He turns to me, pulling me into the conversation. I didn’t think I was really involved here, but not for the first time, he’s made me feel included instead of like an outsider. I never really thought of my job as risky or hectic, but I guess never going home and relying on clients could be both of those things. I nod, and Hinata takes this as a good answer, smiling at me.

After moving my truck, I help my coworkers lift and load the band gear to the new unit, the weight of all their shit coming back to me. My gloves give me a strong grip, but I’d somehow forgotten how heavy it all was. I’m glad Hinata’s out of the way, keeping the band busy, but for a second, I wonder how he’d do at my job. He says he can carry a lot and is used to being busy, but he’s forbidden from helping. Things would probably go faster, be less of a burden, with his help, but I can only wonder.

As we’re finishing up, Hinata grabs me by the arm again. “They want to show us another one of their songs! Isn’t that awesome, Kageyama?”

Real awesome. I shrug, joining the group. “We did finish earlier than scheduled, so I guess there’s time.” I sigh. He squeezes my arm, and Bobata gets his phone out. I’m thinking they’re gonna do another live song, but he plays a video for us with the volume turned all the way up. It’s loud and obnoxious, and I want to leave. It gets even better when Terushima starts singing with the track, and Futumata hits things like he’s playing drums. I try to leave, but Hinata drags me back for the rest of the damn song.

When that’s finally over, Hinata hops up into the cab while I do my inspection. Hanamaki and Matsukawa watch me, leaning on their car. “You didn’t tell us you had a partner.” Matsukawa says.

“Oikawa only said we'd have an extra set of hands.” Hanamaki adds.

I finish my inspection before turning to them. “He’s not my partner.” I glance up, spotting Hinata buckling in and adjusting a cap on his head. I turn back to the guys. “Not forever, anyway. He’s just hanging around until his crap gets dropped off.” It’s simple as that, really, but the two exchange glances anyway, then look back to me. It annoys me. “What?”

“Nothing.” Hanamaki smirks, waving as he walks away.

Matsukawa opens the driver door, arching an eyebrow. “Don’t get too attached to your cargo.”

What the hell are they on about? I roll my eyes, them laughing and waving to Hinata as they go. Whatever. I get settled in my truck, adjusting my mirror and double checking my lights and wipers. Based on the navigation time, we’ll be hanging out in our hotel room for a while. “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. Except the singing. That manager chick was right to warn us about them.” I sigh, looking to Hinata to agree or even make a comment, but he’s staring out the window. I jab his shoulder. “You there, dumbass?”

Hinata whips his head around, blinking. “What?” He shakes his head. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

“What’s up with you?”

He smiles, pink tinting his dumb face. “Nothing. Just thinking.” He turns away, back to staring out that window. “I know we have a schedule, and I don’t wanna mess up your routine, but…I don’t know.” Hinata shrugs. “There’s a bunch of stuff to do near the shore, not too far from here. It'd be nice to visit, but maybe another time.” He smiles at me again. “It’s not going anywhere, and we have stuff to do.”

Damn. How am I supposed to say no? He did everything my way today, even though I’m sure he hated it at times. He helped with the move, picked food out for me, and we danced and played a game together. I mean, yeah, he complained about some shit, but we didn’t argue and I didn’t want to kill him today. We finished work a lot earlier than I thought we would, so I guess we have time to do something aside from check in and sleep. I watch Hinata break a candy bar, eyeing the two pieces before handing me the bigger one. Damn him! “Okay, Hinata.” I take the chocolate and sigh. “We'll make a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the tone was messy; I had to write it in short bursts cuz life kept interrupting XP Anyway, next chapter has jazz, pictures and bubblegum so tune in next week!


	6. Explore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME~
> 
> Picking up right where we left off! Kags was like: ‘Hinata, you’re so amazing; let’s make a deal to show that I see you, boo; I see you.’ Okay, maybe it wasn’t quite like that, but Kageyama wants to show Hinata he sees the effort he’s making to play by his rules XD There’s actually no work in this chapter, so that’s fun hahha

Those shining brown eyes study me for a second, blinking with curiosity. “A deal?” Hinata asks, cocking his head to one side. “What kind of deal?”

He’s been really good today and hasn’t made my life hell so far. I know he isn’t doing what he wants, exactly, but he’s trying and he’s keeping his complaints down. I’m not above giving credit where it’s due. “You know the area and what to do around here. When we get to our room, you can pick something to do to kill time since we finished early.” Before he can say anything, I hold my hand up. “But don’t get carried away! Just a couple hours, and then back to our room for bed. Okay?”

“Seriously?” Hinata grins. “And you’ll explore with me?”

Well, yeah. I can’t risk letting him get lost! I nod. “Yeah, as long as you don’t drag me anywhere stupid.”

He laughs. “I promise I won’t! This is gonna be so exciting, Kageyama. You’re gonna have so much fun!” Hinata grabs some of the snacks from earlier, handing me some and keeping the rest for himself. “We gotta refuel first. Maybe we should settle in a bit, and shower, before heading out again? Or maybe we'll work up another sweat on our adventure.” He babbles on, talking about nothing with more excitement than anything probably requires. It’s weird the way he seems to shine, like an invisible light comes from him when he’s happy, or excited, which is all the time. I’ve seen him with other people and he shines just as bright with them, so it’s got nothing to do with me. Still, I feel a little special getting to be around that energy day and night and hearing his dumb laugh all the time.

When we get to the hotel, Hinata’s too busy on his phone to call dibs on the shower, so I run through first. He’s still on his phone when I get out, so I shove him off his bed. “Get going! I thought you wanted to explore, or whatever.”

He picks himself up off the floor, swatting at my head. “I do! I’m just doing research.”

I grab his wrists so he'll stop smacking me. “On what?”

“On our options!” He smiles, wrestling out of my grip. He spins on his heel and belly-flops down over on my bed, wrinkling the blankets. “There’s a lot to do around here. I have some ideas, so get your listening ears on, Kageyama!”

I’m only in a pair of joggers, so I set my bag on the foot of the bed and look for a shirt to put on. “Shut up.”

Hinata pulls his phone out again. “So, there’s the beach real close. It might be nice to just hang out by the shore.” He glances up at me before I can get my shirt on, but I motion for him to keep talking because I can listen and dress at the same time. “Right. Okay. Um, there’s a pier, too, with all kinds of shops.” He hums. “Oh, and there’s a museum of postcards nearby. And this bar that never closes that has really good hot wings if you’re still hungry.” Hinata rolls onto his back, spreading his limbs out. “Any of that sound good to you? What do you feel like doing?”

“Whatever.” I roll him off the bed and he lands with a thud that makes me laugh. “Just get in the shower and change!”

He makes a weird sound as he gets to his feet. “Jerk! Why don’t you change?”

I look down at my turquoise blue tee shirt and white pants, both official Blue Castle items. “I did! What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“Don’t you get bored of the same stuff every day?”

Should I? It’s not like I go anywhere special when I’m working and I’m always working. “No.”

“That’s so lame, Boring-yama.” He sighs as he takes a pile of his own clothes to the bathroom. “I won’t be long, so don’t get too comfortable!” Hinata slams the door for no reason. He usually isn't long in the shower, so I rummage through my bag to see if there’s anything that’s not work related to wear. I don’t really care how I’m dressed, but I want to prove him wrong and find something different. I guess I have a plain white shirt I could use, and there’s a wrinkled pair of jeans at the bottom of the bag. How long have those been in here? Before Hinata finishes his shower, I get dressed again and peek out the curtain. It isn’t windy, and the sun is still out plenty. I won’t need my hat or sweatshirt, so that’s cool. No clouds, either, so it’ll be a nice night to be outside.

The bathroom door swings open, pulling my attention away from the window. I’m ready to scold Hinata for being so careless with the door, but all my thoughts run away from me when he comes into view. His muscle tank dips low at his collarbone, showing a few scattered moles I never knew were hiding there. His jeans are tight, mostly at the thigh, and I wonder how he even got in them. I’ve seen his arms every day, but not on display like this. He obviously wasn’t lying when he said he’s used to lifting heavy objects, muscles more cut than I expected. I blink, realizing I’ve been staring, and he’s looking right at me. “What?” I ask, stepping back from the window.

He smirks, hiding his muscles under a loose button up shirt. “You changed after all!” He leaves the buttons undone and rolls the sleeves to his elbows. “Who knew you packed more than just uniforms?”

“Shut up.” I roll my eyes. “Lead the way when you’re ready.”

Hinata frowns. “Huh?”

Did he leave his brain in the bathroom, or what? “You’re the one with the plan! Let’s go.”

“Right!” Hinata’s face goes a little red, but he laughs. “Follow me, then!”

Okay, whatever. We walk by the hotel and down a stretch of sidewalk lined with trees and streetlamps, making our journey on foot. It isn’t dark yet, so they’re off, but the sunlight gives the leaves a neat glow anyway. I turn to say something about it to Hinata, but he’s already looking at me. “What?” I ask with a poke to his shoulder.

He punches me in the arm, leaving his fist there for a second. “I know we’ve only known each other a few days, but it’s weird.” Hinata shrugs. “I don’t feel like you’re a stranger, but there’s a lot I don’t know about you!”

“Like what?”

Again, he shrugs. “I don’t know! Like, what’s your favorite color? Or when’s your birthday? Do you like ice cream?” Such weird questions, but I guess he’s right in that we don’t really know much about the other. I mean, I know Hinata doesn’t like sitting still for a long time and licks his lips when his brain is busy, but I don’t know what his favorite color is, either. He laughs, shaking his head. “I guess I’m just being dumb.”

“It’s blue.” I tell him. “But not like Blue Castle blue.”

Hinata grins, a little bounce in his step. “I could see that! It’s really more of a blue-green, anyway. I like bright colors, like orange and yellow and red.”

“Sun colors.”

He laughs again with a nod. “Yeah, I guess so!”

I didn’t really mean to make that sun comment out loud, but oh well. “December 22nd.”

“My birthday's almost the same as yours! Only it’s in June, and a day earlier.”

“And who doesn’t like ice cream?” I ask. “Everyone says yes if they’re asked if they like it. That wasn’t a very good question at all.”

Hinata rolls his eyes. “Okay, you ask a better one!”

“What’s your favorite ice cream?”

He scoffs. “See, now that’s too hard!” He gives me a little shove. “There are so many good flavors. Anything with candy or cookie bits is good, but so are the fruity kinds. And sprinkles make every flavor even better!” Hinata smirks. “How about you?”

“Vanilla, maybe?”

“Kageyama.”

“What?”

Hinata makes a snoring sound, leaning his head on my shoulder. “Your ice cream choice is putting me to sleep.” He keeps pretending to snore until I push him off. “Okay, how about this? Your favorite season, or time of year.”

That’s an easy one. “Late autumn.”

“How come?”

“The scenery is nice to look at then.” Having something nice to look at makes the trip even more fun. “Colors change and there’s less traffic.”

He nods. “That makes sense! I like spring because people sell a lot of neat stuff after cleaning their houses out. Flowers and plants bloom, too, and there’s green everywhere.” His smile grows. “And the sun shines more! That’s always fun. Don’t you think?”

I shrug. “Maybe.”

Hinata isn’t looking at his phone for any kind of route, so I guess he knows where he’s going. He has a little skip in his step again but doesn’t walk ahead of me. “Do you have a least favorite animal? I feel like everyone has a favorite but nobody ever asks about least favorite.”

“Animals don’t like me.”

He laughs. “What makes you say that?”

I shrug. “They don’t act friendly with me. I think I scare them.”

“It’s only because they don’t know you.” Hinata nudges me. “I don’t like spiders. They’re so creepy! I think they’re my least favorite.”

I scoff. “That’s a bug, not an animal.”

“Aren’t bugs animals?” He asks. Now that he’s asked, I wonder if he’s right, but I don’t want him to know that. “So what kind of movies do you like? Everyone watches movies.” When he said there was a lot we didn’t know about each other, I didn’t think he really wanted to know more. I figured he was probably just being polite, or killing time. He seems to be more interested the more we talk, though.

The last movie I really watched was at least a month ago. I think? “I don’t watch a lot, but anything with action. Fast cars, too.”

“Fun! What about with cool fight scenes? Those are awesome.”

I nod, remembering that was one of my favorite parts of that last movie. “Yeah, fight scenes are good. Especially without weapons.”

“Hand to hand combat!” Hinata steps in front of me, walking backwards, and does a punching combo at me. “Those are the best! Maybe we can try and find one on the tv in our room later. If we get back early enough, anyway.” He laughs, going back to walking next to me “Do you have any bad habits? Something you wish you could stop doing? I bite at my lips too much and fidget when I have to sit still for too long.”

“I know.” I nod. It'd be impossible not to notice those things about him. “I used to bite my nails.”

“Is that why you wear gloves all the time?”

My work gloves go on when I help move cargo, but my driving gloves are on the rest of the time. I didn’t think Hinata paid attention to what was on my hands. It’s weird, and makes me feel funny in a way that isn’t bad. “Sort of.” When I was little, I took really good care of my nails, but after there was no need to practice piano, I started biting them.

He hums, tapping his chin. “Okay, here’s one you’ve probably never been asked.” He says with a smirk. “What is your least favorite smell?”

Well, I’ve never been asked that in my life, so I guess he’s right. It’s so fucking weird that I can’t help but laugh. “That’s such a stupid question!” I shake my head. “Who even has an answer for that?” I certainly don’t because I’ve never had to think of one!

Hinata laughs, too. “I do! I hate how bleach smells.” He gags. “So gross.”

“I guess it doesn’t smell great.” I think about my own least favorite smell, knowing there are worse smells than shit and garbage. “Hospital rooms.”

He stares for a second but stays quiet. Was that a weird answer? I guess maybe it’s more than just the smell of hospitals I hate, but I think it should still count. Hinata holds his hands up, like trying to get me to calm down. “Okay, okay, here’s one. We both travel, so what’s your favorite place that you’ve been to?”

There’s no way I can choose just one. “My favorite place to drive is out in the country. It’s quiet, nobody’s out there. Just open road.”

Hinata smiles. It’s not his big, excited grin or his sneaky little smirk. It’s something softer, something that feels way too personal for two strangers. His brown eyes sparkle, the setting sun giving them a warm tone, and I remember that we’re not strangers anymore. “That sounds nice.” His voice even sounds softer, less obnoxious and more…intimate. I know the sounds he makes when he sleeps, how long he takes to shower, the scent he leaves on the passenger seat of my truck. I know him.

We eventually make it to the pier he mentioned earlier, people taking up some walking space on the paved walkway, but not enough to be a real crowd. The sun is getting lower, but not low enough to make it cold. Since we’re by the shore, a breeze passes by every now and then, but it’s warm and light. Hinata runs down the wooden dock, stepping close to the edge to lean over the railing. His hair and open shirt get caught in the wind, swaying around him just a bit, but I can’t see him from this far away. “Wait up, stupid!” I yell and run after him, pulling him back from the railing. “Don’t fall.” I lean next to him, eyes out at the view. I haven’t been to the shore in years, so it’s kinda nice to watch the ocean waves roll in and out. It’s definitely not my least favorite smell. “Now what?”

Even though he doesn’t turn to me, I can tell he heard. “We have the whole night.”

“Not all of it.” I remind him. “We need sleep.”

Hinata laughs, finally looking my way. “I know that, smartass!” He smirks. “Come on, then. We're gonna do some exploring!”

The two of us wander down the sidewalk that runs along the shore instead of going further down the dock. Going this direction, there’s stuff to see and do besides staring out at the water. Like, the building we pass has a bunch of tourists in it buying crappy souvenirs. It’s all overpriced junk, but they don’t know any better. “Saps.” I comment when we walk by.

“What?” Hinata asks, pausing by the shop.

I shake my head. “That whole place just looks like a waste of money.”

He shrugs. “I guess, but they look like they’re having fun.”

We pass by another gift shop, and then a building that looks fancy, or like something out of the future. “What’s this place?” I wonder out loud, looking for a sign. It looks out of place with all the touristy shops, but still has people coming and going through the door. “Looks weird.”

Hinata walks up to the standing board closer to the building. “Sea glass museum. Let’s go in!”

“For what?”

He rolls his eyes. “Obviously to look at sea glass!”

For some reason, I follow him in. “It’s someone’s old trash.”

“It was, but now it’s art! Come on.” Even though I’m already following, he grabs me by the wrist to drag me behind him. We use my company card to pay the entrance fee and stop at every single item on display. Some of the glass was melted down and remade into new glass in different shapes and colors. Other glass is stuck together with different things to make weird sculptures and things. There are even photos of glass and jewelry of glass and a diagram of how sand can turn into glass. We spend the most time at a huge map that covers a wall. On it, someone’s marked where they’ve found all kinds of colors and sizes of sea glass. It’s like a treasure map, only way less interesting. “This is so cool!” Hinata grins. “Like walking in a pirate’s footsteps.”

I don’t really see how, but whatever. I guess the fact that it’s got tangled routes and symbols like a roadmap keeps it from being a total bust. “You’re dumb.”

“Not as dumb as you.” He pulls me behind him.

Of course, the museum ends with a gift shop. Photo books and paper weights and earrings and shit, pretty much all behind glass cases. “Think the cases are recycled sea glass?” I ask while we pass by everything for sale.

Hinata laughs. “Shut up.” We pass more shops and a couple restaurants, but he suddenly seems on a mission.

“Are you going somewhere specific?” I ask, taking bigger steps to keep up with him.

“Well, I hear music. Do you hear it?” He doesn’t even wait for me to answer. “I wanna see where it’s coming from.”

It takes a second, but if I concentrate, I can pick up some notes. The further we walk, the more I recognize. There’s a bass, a trumpet, a saxophone. Or is it a clarinet? No, it’s definitely a saxophone, and there’s at least two drums. “There’s some sorta band up there.” I point between two buildings at what looks to be a rest stop. A few benches sit in some grass surrounded by a few trees, a group of people playing instruments and another watching and listening. When we get closer, it’s clear the watchers aren’t just watching the band. There’s an old lady dancing by herself to the funky jazz. Does she notice that nobody else is dancing, or that all eyes are on her? Does she care?

“How come nobody else is dancing?” Hinata asks.

I shrug. “Because it’s weird.”

“Why is it weird?” He pouts. “It’s good dancing music, and if she feels like dancing, why shouldn’t she?” Before I can say another word, he marches forward, near the old lady. “You’ve got some awesome moves!” He tells her. She throws her head back and laughs, moving over a little. Hinata grins, taking it as an invitation to join her. At first, he copies her moves, throwing his hands up and swaying his hips. Then he does his own thing, moving however he wants as the music keeps going. That’s not all he does, though. He looks right at me, waving me over. “Kageyama, come dance!”

Is he serious? More people have crowded around, and the music is even louder now. “Hinata…” I’m not sure why I can’t just say no, but the words won’t come out.

Hinata grins, pink coloring his cheeks, and he throws his head back in a laugh like the old lady did a few minutes ago. His eyes sparkle, his smile shines, his laugh cuts through the music and hits me hard. Why is he impossible to look away from? I almost can’t believe it, but my feet take me right to him. Even more unbelievable is that I start mirroring his dancing, the old lady making room for me with a smile. “Not so weird after all.” Hinata smirks. I peek at the watchers, surprised to see some of them starting to move, too. I mean, they’re not up front dancing like us, but they aren’t like statues anymore. It’s the same music, but now they’re not standing still for some reason. I don’t get it.

The three of us dance through the song, pausing when the band does. Our chests are heaving a bit while we catch our breaths, and some of the people clap and others start to leave. “Where are they going?” I ask.

“The song’s over. We should get going, too, while we still have daylight.” Hinata turns to the old lady, giving her a big smile. “Thanks for the dance!” He grabs my wrist. The lady returns his smile and throws us a peace sign.

Down the path, he lets my arm go and my skin feels oddly cold. “Now what?” I ask.

“We keep walking, I guess.” He skips ahead of me, head moving left and right to make sure he doesn’t miss anything. “How come we don’t listen to jazz when we drive?”

I roll my eyes. “I drive, not you, and I already told you not to complain.”

“I wasn’t! It seemed like you had fun dancing, is all. And if you like dancing to jazzy music, why don’t you like driving to it?” Hinata slows down to walk next to me. “There’s an entire world of music you’re missing out on.” Out of nowhere, he stops walking and gasps. He’s staring at something, but I have no idea what.

“What’s up?” I shove him.

He shoves me back, pointing over at something. “We have to.”

“Have to what?”

Hinata takes off, stopping only to bounce on his feet in front of what he’d been pointing at. A photo booth? “Come on, Kageyama! We have to take pictures in it.”

At the moment, I can’t think of anything more lame. I shake my head. “No, we don’t.”

He laughs. “Don’t be an ass! It’ll be fun. And I’ll even pay for it out of my own pocket so you’ll have nothing to complain about.” Hinata pulls the curtain aside, already stepping in. “Come on! Please? It’ll be one of the last things we do tonight.” If he wanted pictures, he could’ve used his phone for free. As long as he’s paying and we’re not here all night, though, I guess it’s whatever. I sigh but follow him into the booth. “Alright! Let’s get started.”

In the beginning, we smile like normal, Hinata in my space so we’re both in the shots. Somehow, the hotel shampoo smells better in his hair than in the bottle and I find that very annoying. He says I’m not smiling right and sticks his index fingers near the corners of my mouth and pulls up. I didn’t sign up for that, so I shove him away, hand in his face. He doesn’t appreciate that and makes a face at me. Two can play that game, so I make a face right back. Hinata makes an even dumber face then, and I laugh at how stupid he looks. “Dumbass!” I guess my laughter is contagious because he starts laughing, too, and before we know it, the shoot is over.

We argue over which background and frame to use, taking forever coming to a decision. He wants to put a bunch of stickers, but I can’t let him get away with such stupidity. I think we take longer on filters than we did actually taking the pictures, but we eventually finish and step out of the booth, waiting for both strips to print. “See? Fun, right?” Hinata smirks.

“So fun, we never have to do it again.”

He laughs. “Fine!”

At last, the pictures come out! Our first one is us both smiling at the camera, Hinata leaning close to me and holding a hand up in a wave. I kinda like it because neither of us look stupid. The next picture is him with his hands on my face as I’m pushing him away. I look pissed off and he looks like he’s struggling to stay in the frame. It’s awful. In the third picture, we’re making faces at each other, and we both look so dumb, like fighting children. Our last photo is us both laughing. I’m actually leaning towards Hinata, which I don’t remember doing, and he has a hand on my shoulder, which I also don’t remember. Over all, I’m glad he paid for us to both get a copy

“One more stop, okay? Then back to the room.” I remind him after checking the time on my phone. We need enough time to walk back, settle in and get some sleep.

He nods, heading back the way we came. “Okay, I’ve got it.”

I can’t imagine what terrible thing he’s got in his head to top off the night, but I’ve gone along with his ideas this far. Might as well let him take the wheel. “This better not be awful.” I warn him. I might be slimmer than him, but I’m taller and can definitely kick his ass. “You know I’ll hurt you if it is.” My threat only makes him laugh and pick up the pace. I don’t have to work much to keep up with him, but when he comes to a sudden stop, I run right into him. “Dumbass! Don’t just stop like that.” I look over at the sign next to us. “Ice cream?”

“You said everyone likes it! So let’s get some. My treat!” Hinata nods towards the shop, smiling that smile of his. Free ice cream sounds good to me, so why not?

Since I’m not a little kid or a pig, I get one scoop of vanilla and since Hinata is both, he gets two scoops of bubblegum ice cream that has little gumballs swirled in. It’s rainbow colored and turns his mouth pink and blue and purple with every lick. We take our dessert to the dock, walking the length and stopping to lean over the railing, just like earlier. “It’s getting dark.” I notice, the incoming night sky making the view a lot different from earlier. “The moon’s out.” It glows like a firefly up there.

“It’s pretty.” Hinata nods, leaning a little too far over the rail. I grab his arm, holding him back so he doesn’t fall. “You know what, Kageyama?”

“Hm?”

He takes a step back, smiling with ice cream painting his lips. “Today was fun!” I can’t argue with that. Even if some stuff wasn’t what I’d pick, I like how tonight has gone. “I’m glad you wanted to hang out today.”

I’m not sure what to say. I nod, muttering “Yeah.”

Hinata laughs, clapping me on the shoulder a couple times, and turns back to the view. He leaves his hand there, and I let him. His touch is warm and solid, and I can’t deny that I like it. I’m starting to accept that maybe I like more than just his hand on me, the way he smiles at me, his laugh and scent and freckles. I don’t want to get attached to Hinata, but he’s here, looking handsome and bright and like sunshine, and I can’t help it. I like him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had something to say about next chapter, but a strong gust of wind totally distracted me XD Um, anyway, next week’s update has karaoke, childhood and clouds!


	7. Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, no work in this chapter. Kinda a transition one, but it’s fluffy so that’s fun hahha

Mornings aren’t my favorite, but I’ve gotten used to them like I’ve gotten used to hearing my boss call before every job. I turn my alarm off, rub my eyes awake, head to the bathroom to piss, brush my teeth and shower. Most days, I shave, but sometimes I’m not in the mood and skip it, which is where I found myself yesterday. I never bother doing anything special with my hair, either, because it’s hidden under my hat anyway, and then I get dressed in my work clothes. I usually try to find some coffee and have a protein bar, then inspect my truck. I fuel up and hit the road, navigation set to the next job and music set to solo piano. It’s a very simple routine that’s never failed me yet.

Mornings with Hinata, however, take more getting used to.  
This morning, he got up before me again, but not enough to be helpful. I had to wait for him, bladder full, to finally get out of the bathroom. “Hinata, dumbass, hurry up! I gotta piss.” I kick at the door. On the other side, I hear a yelp and a crash. I rub my eyes, already annoyed. “Seriously? What the hell are you doing in there? Get out!”

“I’m trying! You made me rip the curtain, Kageyama. How am I gonna pay for this?”

I can’t wait anymore. I shove the door open, finding Hinata wearing the flimsy white shower curtain like a toga, water still streaming over him. He scrambles to cover up even though he’s already covered, and I roll my eyes. “You’re so stupid! How am I supposed to shower now?” I ask, lifting the toilet seat. “Don’t watch me piss. Just hurry your ass up.”

“You’re so gross.” Hinata huffs. “And besides, it’s your fault this happened!”

“How is that my fault?”

“You rushed me! You yelled and I jumped and pulled the damn thing off and dropped the shampoo.” Hinata sighs. “Thanks a lot, Stupid-yama.”

I shake my head on my way to the sink. “It’s not my fault you’re wearing a shower curtain.”

Hinata tosses a corner of it over his shoulder, sticking his nose in the air. “You wish you could wear a curtain this well.”

I’d like to argue with him, but I can’t. His hair is slicked back, water running down his face and dripping down his neck. The white fabric clings to his skin, mostly his arms and chest, and slips off one shoulder. My eyes want to stay and see what else is under the shower curtain, but I know better and turn on my heel to leave. “You’re an idiot. And hurry, will you? I don’t wanna be late because of you!” I slam the door behind me, trying to get the image of a naked, wet Hinata out of my head.

“Okay, fine!” Hinata shouts back.

When I finally get my turn in the shower, I know I have very little time, so I rush even more than normal. I don’t bother shaving, and brush my teeth faster than ever. By the time I’m getting dressed, Hinata’s running back in the room with his arms full. “Where’d you go?” I ask him while pulling my shirt on. Somehow, Hinata manages to trip on nothing and sends fruit and packaged muffins flying across the floor. He lands with a thud and a weird sound like the air got knocked out of him. “Hinata!” I pick up most of the items, still wondering where he got them from.

“Ow.” He groans, rubbing his chin. “Am I bleeding?” He angles his face at me when he stands.

No, he isn’t cut or anything, but the flush on his face looks nice on him. I guess there’s more redness on his chin where it hit the floor, but he'll survive. I hum. “No. You might bruise, but you’re fine.” I shrug, picking up the rest of the food. “Where’d you go, anyway?”

Hinata smiles suddenly, getting one of the reused plastic bags from his backpack. “The lobby has free breakfast! I got us some fruit since we haven’t had any on this trip, and we should probably have something healthy once in a while.” He holds the bag open so I can drop everything in it. “These muffins looked really good, though, so I got us each two, and my hands were too full to get you coffee, but I would’ve dropped it anyway, so it’s a good thing I didn’t!” Hinata laughs.

“Guess so.” I’m surprised he even thought about doing that for me. “Ready?”

Hinata swings the bag in one hand, dragging his backpack behind him with the other. “Yup! Let’s get going.”

He races out the door, but I’m not convinced he really was ready to leave. Why am I not convinced? Well, there’s a white cable hanging from beside his bed, and I’m sure it didn’t come with the room. I sigh, pulling the charger from the wall and stuffing it in my pocket. I do a quick inspection around my truck, then settle in behind the wheel. The navigation says it’ll be a while before we get to the next appointment, so I’ll have to fuel up in a bit. “We’ve got a little while until the next place. We’ve got enough to eat, I think.” I take one of the muffins from Hinata, noticing the dent in the top from where he dropped it.

“Probably!” He nods and peels a banana. “I have more candy, too.”

That’s not really food, but whatever. I nod and get on the road, glad to have some clouds to ease the sun’s glare. There’s more traffic than I thought there’d be, but it’s fine. I am a little annoyed that this one two-door keeps falling into my blind spot, though. I sigh. “Hinata, is that silver two-door still back there?” I ask, trying not to look away from the cluster of cars I can see. Hinata hums an agreement, gasps then goes silent. Are we in danger? Am I too close to someone I can’t see? “I need to know!” I have to remind him.

“You-you're clear. Crystal clear!” He stammers.

Then why the hell did he gasp? I glance over, noticing he’s a lot closer to the window than normal. “What happened then, idiot? What’re you—”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Just…just drive.”

That sounds anything but fine! I take a closer look, his half eaten banana in his lap and his sweatshirt sleeve on the window, wiping at it. “Are you serious? Hinata, what the fuck?” I gave him so little to do, and he managed to screw it up! I don’t know how many times I’ve told him not to touch the windows, and not to make a mess of the cab.

“It was an accident!” Hinata whines. “I was trying to turn far enough to see, and it kinda squished on the window.” His voice trails off.

Well. I did ask him to help me see. I’m also part of the reason he got breakfast, or there wouldn’t even be a banana, especially since he doesn’t like eating on the road. He’s just smearing it around with his sleeve, though, and making it worse. “In the glove box.” I point at it. “Napkins.” I don’t explain, but he gets what I mean, and cleans the window better. He’s such an idiot and he’s made such a mess of this entire morning, but, I mean, why? Because he’s been trying to do things my way and has been trying to help me. He’s making an effort and I guess I see that.

Hinata sighs, slumping in his seat. “Sorry, Kageyama.”

I’m not mad. I want to be, but I’m not. Even if I was, that pout and those shining eyes wouldn’t let me stay mad. It’s annoying how hard he’s trying to do his best because I can’t ignore it. I’m not sure how to handle it, though. Am I supposed to say something, or cut him some slack? I don’t want to make it weird, or anything, but it’s not easy to see him sad. Liking someone is hard. “If you want, you can connect your phone.” I point to the aux cord. “For…music.”

“Huh?” Hinata turns to me. “Really? You mean it?”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t ask me again or I’ll change my mind!”

He laughs and plugs his phone in, wasting no time. “You might regret this, but at least you won’t be bored.” If this is supposed to be a joke, it’s not funny. He plays with his phone, and I just sit and wait for something awful to come in through the speakers. Instead, something acoustic and a little bit funky starts to play. “You’re allowed two skips per half hour, so use them wisely!” Hinata pokes me in the shoulder.

“I have a say in this?”

Hinata gets his index finger and thumb as close together as he can without touching them, smirking. “Let me know what you think.”

The first song isn’t too bad. It has a nice melody and the singer’s voice doesn’t annoy me. I’m supposed to give feedback, so I shrug when it ends. “It’s okay.” The next couple songs are more obnoxious, “Don’t play that one again,” autotuned and repetitive, “Skip this!” Another has angry instrumental parts and growling lyrics. “I didn’t like that.” The next makes Hinata dance. “That one wasn’t bad.”

After a few more hit and miss songs, Hinata bounces in his seat with a short gasp. “This one’s one of my favorites! Listen, listen.”

Like I’ve been doing anything else. I keep quiet, letting the song build up and get into the lyrical part. It’s not shit, so that’s nice. I think the singer is okay, and the words are decent enough. It’s not that easy to focus, though, when Hinata hums along with it, body moving, too. When it’s time for the chorus, he’s not humming anymore, but actually singing. His voice couldn’t sell out stadium seats, but his smile could. And he’s obviously having fun, and that’s nice to be around. I could get used to it, but I know I shouldn’t. “That one was…better.” I admit. This makes his smile bigger, and the next few songs sound a lot like the last one. They even include Hinata's singing voice and some random dance moves, unfortunately making the muisc better. After it’s time to add more songs to his queue, Hinata gasps. “What’s up?” I ask, sure he hasn’t run out of songs.

“My phone’s dying! Gotta charge it.” He pulls his bag on his lap and feels around, frowning deeper and deeper. “Kageyama, we have to stop! I left my charger in the hotel room.” Hinata groans, digging in the bag.

I shake my head. “We’re too far to turn around.”

He rubs his eyes, throwing his head back against the seat. “Crap. I don’t wanna get a new one! The good kinds are expensive.” Hinata sighs. I have the power to end his suffering, so I pull the cable from my pocket and hand it over. It takes a second for him to uncover his eyes and notice what I’m doing, but when he does, he gasps again. “Where did you…?”

“You were carrying the food, and you were in a hurry.” I saw it there, and it’s not like I could just leave it behind. I think he probably would’ve done the same for me, too. “I always check to make sure I haven’t left anything.”

Hinata takes the charger, plugging his phone in. “Okay.” He says with a grin. “You can have three skips every half hour!”

It sounds like a good deal, but by the time we get to the fuel station, I’ve used up all of my skips and have to listen to some crappy songs. I’ve also listened to Hinata sing at least a dozen songs I’ve never heard before, which is nice. Even though he hasn’t shut up since we got up this morning, he isn’t on my nerves and has made things a lot easier than our first day together. Maybe keeping him in a good mood makes things go smoothly? “While I’m filling up, go get us some lunch.” I tell him when I pull in at a pump.

“Anything special?” Hinata hops out of the cab when I do, waiting for me to finish with the card.

“Something good.” I hand it over to him. “Don’t get so much you can’t carry it.”

He smirks over his shoulder. “Good thing I can carry anything!”

I’ll believe it when I see it. I don’t bother responding, just nodding as Hinata jogs over to the convenience store. He never runs out of energy, but he also hasn’t been doing much aside from sitting in the truck. I bet if he actually did the work I do, he’d complain and fall asleep standing up. He has the muscles and the confidence, but I doubt he’d make a good mover. He’d need a lot more practice and training before he could even be allowed near cargo, but that’ll never happen. I shake my head at the thought, finishing up with a quick inspection and getting back behind the wheel. There should be a place not too far from here, off a small road, that I wanna see again. I check my navigation to confirm that it’s nearby and how to get there, interrupted by Hinata swinging his door open. “Easy!” I shout. “Don’t be careless with the door.”

“They had chicken wings!” Hinata says like a song, completely ignoring me. He shoves some bags behind his seat, leaving another on the floor. “And that yogurt you like, too.”

How does he know what yogurt I like? I watch him climb back into his seat, running a hand through his hair and handing me the card back. “Buckle up.” I shouldn’t have to remind him to do this, but it doesn’t surprise me. I mean, I had to tell him to tie his shoes at least twice before. “And don’t start eating yet.”

“Why? I’m hungry.”

“Just wait.” I sigh. “It won’t be long.”

Hinata shrugs but doesn’t argue. It looks like he’s organizing the food in some way, but I can only see out of the corner of my eye. He’s got several bags, but he was able to carry them on his own, so at least he followed the rules. Even if he manages to not devour everything, it can easily be turned into dinner. “Where are we going?” He turns to look out the window, fingers pressed against the door.

“Nowhere special.” I shrug. “Just having lunch.”

He whips his head around, eyes big. “Wait, what? Out here?”

We pass trees and fields and no buildings, just as I remembered. I nod. “Yeah. You’ll see.”

Hinata goes back to staring outside, muttering impressed noises, “Ooooh,” and quiet outbursts, “Whoa!” It really isn’t much, just a few miles of countryside, but it’s a lot different from the warehouses and freeways we’ve been around lately. “It’s so nice out here! I bet it’s super quiet, too, except for birds and bugs and stuff.” He messes with his seatbelt so he can lean forward more. “The air probably feels real good.”

“How can air feel good?” I ask as I find a place near the trailhead to pull over.

“Have you ever taken a deep breath in a big city?” Hinata asks. I nod because of course I have. “Take a deep breath out here. You’ll see. It feels different. Like, a good different!”

Yeah, okay. I grab one of the bags, leading the way. “There should be a good place just ahead.”

Hinata happily follows, bags in hand. “Now, this isn’t a plan to get rid of me, is it? You get me lost in the woods or stuck in a tree and then drive away on your own, or something?” He nudges me, walking at my side.

“Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Kageyama!” He laughs. “I’m so lucky you’d get fired if anything happened to me. It’s probably the only thing keeping me alive right now!”

Not true at all, but I just shake my head. “Dumbass.” Once we’re quiet, I can hear a familiar trickle of water not too far away. A few more steps, and the water running by comes into view, dividing a field of grass and small, shiny stones. Some roots of nearby trees dip into the water here and there, giving the area a little shade. It’s kind of warm out.

“We get our own private stream?” Hinata rushes forward, taking in the view, then sits down to take off his shoes.

“What’re you doing?” I sorta laugh because the way he hurries is ridiculous.

Hinata smirks. “If we’re picnicking by a stream, I’m going all in!” He stuffs his socks in his shoes, setting them by a tree. The bags are right behind him, almost forgotten. “Come join me!” He dips his feet in the water, wiggling his toes with a dumb little laugh. “It’s nice.” Hinata looks very comfortable there, sitting in the grass, feet in the stream, sun catching his eyes. I set my socks and shoes next to his, joining him on the bank. “Doesn’t it feel good?”

I let the cool water run over my skin, the warm air wrapping around the rest of me, and nod. “Yeah.”

He elbows me. “How’d you even find this place, anyway? It’s super awesome!”

“I needed to take a walk once.” I shrug. “I pulled over and found it by accident.”

“You needed a walk?” Hinata smirks. “Were you lost, Kageyama?”

I roll my eyes. “That’s not what I said.” He keeps that stupid look on his face and aims it right at me. “Shut up!” I ignore his laugh, pulling the bags between us. “We don’t have that long to stay, so get eating.”

We split up the food and drinks, mostly keeping quiet. Of course, Hinata can’t keep his mouth shut for long. “This really is a great spot! I like that it’s hidden away a bit. I mean, not that I have to hide from people, but it’s nice to be outside and get some peace and quiet once in a while. It’s like we’re the only ones out here!”

“You don’t seem like much of an outdoorsman.” I mention, taking a break from lunch.

“Seriously?” Hinata grins. “I love being outside! I used to go camping when I was younger. It was kinda hard to do everything when Natsu was little, but we always had fun!”

I don’t think he’s mentioned this name before. “Is Natsu your dog, or something?”

He laughs, smacking my leg. “Natsu's my sister!” He explains. “I looked after her a lot, and took her everywhere with me when she was tiny. I mean, she’s still tiny, but she doesn’t need to hold my hand to cross streets anymore.” Hinata laughs again. He’s probably a good big brother, but I wouldn’t know anything about that. “She lives in the same neighborhood as I do, with a group of her friends. I’ll have to visit her soon.”

“I have a sister, too, but she’s older than me.”

“You must’ve been the pesky little brother, then!”

I shrug. “I colored on her sheet music when I was a baby.”

This makes Hinata laugh again, covering his mouth to keep from spitting food out. “Bad Kageyama! That’s really cute, though. I bet you were a cute baby, making a mess of things.”

Me, cute? Does Hinata think I’m cute? I turn away, feeling my face heat up. “I was a round baby.”

“So…adorable? I was a wild baby. My mom couldn’t keep me from exploring!” He shakes his head. “I liked to crawl around outside. She says I once tried to climb a tree before I could even walk.” That’s not hard to imagine, honestly. Hinata looks up at one of the nearby trees, face towards the sky. “Do you see that cloud?”

I lean forward, but I’m not sure what he’s talking about. “Which one?”

Hinata leans back, shoulder brushing against mine. He points up, glancing over his shoulder. “The one that looks like a bird!” He leans further back, pressing against my arm. I don’t flinch, or pull back. Instead, I chase the warmth, inching forward.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“It’s so small!” Hinata motions up at the sky. “I bet it got separated from that bigger one. That can happen, right?” He doesn’t wait for a response. “It looks soft. I bet clouds are soft.” He sighs, resting his head on my shoulder. “I hope we don’t run into a bunch of rain again soon. The sun feels so good today.” What really feels good is him leaning back on me. It’s not that much contact, and it isn’t even on purpose, probably, but it’s somehow comforting. I let my own head rest against his, lightly at first. He doesn’t pull away or push me off, so I shut my eyes.

“Yeah.”

We sit like that for a while, Hinata mentioning random things the clouds look like, and I mumble along so he knows I’m listening. I’d like to sit here this way for a lot longer, but there’s a schedule to keep. I mention the time and how long we still have to drive, and Hinata pouts. “Okay.” He sighs, collecting our trash. He holds the bag up proudly. “We must leave nature as we found it!” I nod, fighting the urge to hold his hand. He has wide palms, and the skin is kinda thick, but smooth. I only know because he grabs my arm and wrist all the time, and his fingertips are calloused. Would his hand fit well in mine? No use thinking about it, so I ball my hands into fists, walking behind Hinata. “What if we got lost, Kageyama? Do you have survival skills?”

“I can make a fire and I’ve been fishing a few times.”

Hinata nods, swinging the bag as he walks. “That’s good! I can build. I bet I could make us a good shelter with branches and stuff. Or would you rather sleep in a tree?” He asks this like it’s a serious question, turning on his heel to face me.

I shrug. “These trees aren’t big enough.”

He smirks, turning back around. “Good point! I’ll have to build a shelter while you build a fire.”

“And what will we eat?”

“Rations!” Hinata holds up the bag that doesn’t have trash, filled with everything we didn’t eat.

I nod. “Good point.”

Back in the truck, Hinata leaves the trash at his feet and stows the leftovers behind the seat. He doesn’t plug his phone into the aux cable, handing it to me. “You can put your normal music on. I’m all karaoked out!” He laughs. I nod and connect my phone, starting our drive with soft piano. “You know, that was really fun!” Hinata grins. “Like hanging out at the pier. That was fun, too!” He gets comfortable in his seat, staring out the window.

“Yeah, it was.” I check the time. “We’ll be pretty busy the rest of the day, though.”

Hinata hums, leaning against the door. “I’ll rest up, then!” He doesn’t say much after that, but he still smiles. It’s not all the time that he’s quiet. I think the last time was when I gave him the silent treatment. This silence is actually comfortable, though, and neither of us feels the need to change the quiet. Oikawa once said that he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Iwaizumi when they could sit in silence and still feel happy and comfortable. But there’s no way I’m in love, right? That couldn’t be. It’s just not possible! I mean, we’re just driving down the road, strangers not too long ago, and we’ll be strangers again when this is all over. Nothing good can come from feeling things for Hinata, but then why do I want to hold his hand and kiss his forehead and listen to his bad singing? “Here, Kageyama!” He hands me half of a regular chocolate bar. “The kind you like.”

I blink, blinded by his smile. “They’re the best.” I tell him, feeling heat creep into my face when my fingers brush against his.

He scoffs. “Whatever you say.”

It’s a fact! I turn to him to say so, but his smirk stops me from saying anything at all. My breathing even stops. I roll my eyes, turning so he can’t see my smile. “Dumbass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hinata POV next chapter! Also, minor injury, several staircases and scratchy stubble.


	8. Bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got a little out of hand regarding word count. Oopsie!

After Oikawa called to fill us in on today’s work, we sat near the driveway of the clients’ house to wait for the rest of the crew. Kageyama was busy sorting through the paperwork for the cargo, and I asked him one little question about the neighborhood, but he told me to shut up so he can focus. So now I’m just sitting here, still and quiet, and it’s so boring! If I could go inside and talk with Tendou or Ushijima, that’d be a million times less dull. Even if Kageyama would just let me talk, or if he'd talk to me, that’d be better than this. Well, now that my phone’s charged, I guess I could play on it. I check up on one of my social media apps, liking and commenting on my friends' pictures. Looks like Yamaguchi got a new pair of shoes with Yachi. Tsukki makes fun of them when they have matching things, but I think he’s jealous! Oh, Noya got a haircut. It looks good, but I’ll see it up close when I get back to the store! Aone brought his pet turtle to the new office, and Koganegawa is feeding it lettuce. He put a similar picture on his profile, too, and I make sure to like both of them. Terushima's band took a bunch of goofy pictures backstage somewhere, all smiles. They’re supposed to be taking a break, but they have a lot of fun with their work! Last time I checked, Tendou was sharing pictures of the empty house, but that was days ago. He tagged Ushijima and the moving company, saying he was excited to see them again, which is actually today. I don’t think I’ve looked at Blue Castle’s page yet, so I follow where the tag takes me. The profile picture is a man with fancy brown hair standing next to another man with darker, spikey hair in front of one of Blue Castle’s buildings. Oh, wait, that’s Iwaizumi! I met him already, so the other must be Oikawa? They both look proud, sorta smiling, arms crossed over their chests. According to the tags, the taller one is definitely Oikawa. Both of their personal profiles have a lot of Oikawa pictures, but the one’s on Iwaizumi’s page are a lot less flattering! One of Iwaizumi’s pictures has the other movers in it, like a class photo of the staff. I recognize Kageyama right away, hiding under a ball cap like always! He’s tagged in it, so I check out his profile. How had I not looked him up before? His pictures aren’t of him, but they’re still fun to look at. There’s one of the truck, another of the truck, more of the truck…a lot of his truck in different places, actually. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Kageyama Tobio was a truck! No, wait…there’s one picture of him, but it’s of his back, him looking up at a tree. How did he take the picture? I peek over my phone, checking to see if he’s done pretending to be busy. Kageyama sets the folder aside with a silent sigh. “Kageyama.”

“Hm?” He turns to me.

I hold my phone up so he can see the picture. “How'd you take this picture?”

He rolls his eyes. “Obviously I didn’t. And why’re you stalking me?”

“I’m not!” I scroll through more of his pictures. “I was looking at the moving company, and you were tagged in something.” I hit the follow button, liking pretty much all the pictures. “So you had a…friend take it?” His phone beeps with every action I take. I laugh at how popular he’s suddenly become!

Kageyama huffs. “You’re blowing up my phone, idiot.” He clears the notifications as they come in. “My sister took that picture.”

“That makes sense! I wondered how you could take it without using your hands.” I laugh.

He blinks, then musses up my hair. “You’re such a dumbass, Hinata!”

I smack at his hands, dropping my phone. “I didn’t even know you were on social media! Why do you only take pictures of the truck?” I knock his hat off, sending it flying behind the seat. “There are probably millions of things to take pictures of in the world.”

“I guess.” He kicks me when he grabs his hat, then gets back in his seat. “What’s yours like?”

“I can show you.”

He turns his screen to me, my own profile on his phone, smirking. “I have fifty notifications with your name on it, so you weren’t hard to find.” He’s looking at my pictures, but he’s turned his phone so only he can see. “You take a lot of pictures.”

“I do a lot of things!” I lean in so I can get a better look. “See a lot of friends, go a lot of places.” I’m so close to him, I bet I could reach out to touch him and he wouldn’t even notice! I rest my hand on his shoulder, and he doesn’t react. Maybe he doesn’t mind me touching him? Slowly, I drop my head against my hand, basically leaning my head on him. Still, he doesn’t pull away, so neither do I.

Kageyama barely nods, scrolling away. “I see that.”

“Just don’t laugh when you get to the beach pictures.”

“Why?”

I sigh. “I forgot to put sunblock on my shoulders, and I look like I’m half man, half lobster.” I was so caught up in getting my face and hands that I missed my shoulders, and the top of my chest that my shirt didn’t cover. Stupid mistake, I know! Kageyama starts to like some of my pictures, and of course, they’re the ones I just told him not to laugh at. “I said don’t laugh!” I shove him.

He laughs anyway. “I wasn’t! But I am now.”

“You’re such a jerk, Kageyama!” I keep pushing him, and he keeps laughing.

“At least I’m not a lobster.” He lazily swats at me, mostly just messing up my hair and barely grazing me. “Will you stop shoving?”

“Fine!” I smack his hand away, picking my phone back up. There haven’t been that many chances to post any interesting pictures on this trip, but I change that by taking a quick picture of Kageyama, scowling a little. “There! Now I’m gonna share it and tag it as ‘big dumb jerk.’”

He lifts his phone up, too, snapping a picture of me. “Then I’ll just tag this one ‘little dumbass.’”

So rude! I get the picture of him uploaded and start tagging. “’No fun.’ ‘Vanilla loving.’ ‘Mean.’ ‘Was born unable to smile.’”

“’Loud.’ ‘Messy.’ ‘Snores all night.’” Kageyama taps on his phone.

I gasp, shocked at his lies. “I do not snore!”

“Yeah you do.”

Whatever! I get back to tagging the picture. “’Bossy’ and ‘stubborn.’ ‘Probably frowns while sleeping.’ And ‘might dream of trucks.’”

Kageyama actually laughs. “’Sees animals in clouds.’ ‘Possibly delusional.’”

Even though we’re insulting each other, I don’t feel offended. I laugh, too! “’Willing to sleep in trees.’ ‘Afraid to ask for directions.’ ‘Steals phone chargers.’”

“’Pillow thief.’ ‘Wears shower curtains.’”

No way! I reach out for his phone, but he pulls it away with a laugh. “Kageyama, do not!” I smack him on the shoulder, but he’s still doing something on his phone. “You better not put that! Are you putting that?” I get my answer in a notification, alerting me that I’ve been tagged in Kageyama’s photo. I shove him against his door, settling back into my seat to add another tag to my picture of him. “’Hat hair, don’t care.’” I laugh to myself and post it before he can swipe at my phone, barely missing. “Now we’re even!”

Kageyama rolls his eyes, tapping on his phone again. “Yeah, even.” I want to ask what he just did, but a car backs up in front of us, that blue green color becoming very familiar. Kageyama pockets his phone and straightens his hat, hand on his door. “Let’s go.”

I pocket my phone, too, and follow him to the car. Three men get out and wave at us. “Hello!” The one with fluffy brown hair smiles. “You can call me Yuda.” He points the one with thick eyebrows. “This is Shido.” He points to the one with black hair, sorta hiding. “And this is Sawauchi.” Yuda holds his hand out, and I shake it. “You must be Hinata!”

“That’s me!” I shake the others’ hands, too, noticing Sawauchi's are a lot colder than the others'.

“Oikawa said you three can handle the moving while I deal with the checklist.” Kageyama reminds them. I frown, remembering his boss’s words over the phone. Where does this arrangement leave me? I was told to just stay out of the way and keep the clients busy, but that’s not all the action I want. It's very unfair. “Let’s get to it.”

We walk to the front door where Tendou is peeling tape from the frame. He grins when he sees us, but doesn’t stop working. “How do you all love our new purple door?” He asks.

The purple isn’t very bright, and has more red than blue, but I think it looks great! I give him a thumbs up. “Looks awesome!” I tell him.

Tendou laughs, pushing the door open. He stands to the side to let us in, and I notice he has a spot of paint on the tip of his nose. “You’re too kind. Come in, fellas! Say hi to Wakatoshi before you start bringing everything in. He’s been pacing just waiting for you to get here.”

Inside, there’s no Ushijima in sight. All there is is a pile of tarps and old painting tape, and I think that’s the handle of a paint roller. “Did you paint all the walls?” I ask, looking around.

Footsteps from the staircase come before Ushijima, a stack of folded tarps in his arms as he walks down. “Yesterday, we did.” He adds his stuff to the pile on the floor, walking over to shake all our hands. “Good to see you here. The house feels lacking without our furniture.” Looking up, I see he has a dot of the same paint as Tendou on the tip of his nose, too. “I’d like to start as soon as possible.”

“Sounds good!” Yuda nods.

Since I’m not allowed to do anything fun, I sit in the kitchen with Tendou while Ushijima stands with Kageyama, watching the others unload. The stools aren’t unloaded yet, so we’re on the counters, legs swinging off the edges. “How do you like the view from here?” I ask him. “I mean, I know it’s not fancy buildings and the skyline anymore, but I bet there’s something to like.”

“I love it!” Tendou stretches his arms out. “It’s nice to see other homes, and the suburbs. It feels more permanent. It’s like our old flat was just a stage in our lives, and now we've leveled up!”

I laugh, sort of sure, sort of unsure what he means. “That’s good!”

“And our neighbors are super nice. Things are going even better than I imagined.”

Did he imagine things going bad? I hum. “What do you mean?”

Tendou shrugs. “Expectations are a helluva thing, my good man. Too high, there’s only disappointment. Too low, there’s no hope.” His smile grows, lopsided and toothy. “To hell with moderation! I hold my hopes all the way in the stars.” He laughs a bit. “You know, there’s nothing like exceeding high expectations, is there?”

I shake my head. “No, but that'd be painful if…well…”

“What was my worst case scenario?” Tendou waves me off. “End up in another little flat, or couch surfing at my mother-in-law's place? I’d still have Wakatoshi, and that’s all I really need.”

I nod. “That sounds really grown up…but also kind of crazy.”

He laughs, but nods. “Got that right!”

At some point, Ushijima steals Tendou away to answer a question about where some boxes go, and he ends up staying behind with me. He doesn’t sit on the counter, but he does lean against it. His natural face reminds me of Kageyama, a little, eyebrows low and mouth in a line. I bet they don’t know how serious they look all the time! He’s not big on words, and that’s okay. “Sounds like you were real anxious to move everything in here.” I mention.

“Anxious?” Ushijima asks. “Who told you that?”

I shake my head. “No, I mean in a good way! Like, you could hardly wait.”

He nods. “You mean excited. That’s true. I’ve been waiting for this day for a while. Waiting makes it seem like a long time.”

“You aren’t scared at all?” I ask. I’ve never been so far in love with someone that I could even consider agreeing to spend the rest of my days with them and moving all of my things to a new place. That’s such a huge deal! “I mean, this is a new place, right?”

“It’s the outside of the same city, but a new neighborhood, yeah.”

I shrug. “And you’ve never owned a home. There are a million more responsibilities than when you’re just renting a flat!”

“That’s true.”

“And you have a whole wedding to plan for. A. Wedding.”

Ushijima just blinks. “Yes? I know all these things.”

I smirk. “None of it scares you?”

For the first time in our conversation, he pauses, eyes on the floor while he thinks. He looks up after a moment, shaking his head. “Not really.”

“What’s your secret?”

Ushijima shrugs. “I don’t have one. I know nothing can ever be perfect, and I know challenges will always come up.” He fiddles with the band on his finger. “But that’s okay. If bad stuff can happen, so can good stuff.” I think he’s starting to smile! It’s weird, but a good weird. “And I trust we'll find our way together. We always do.”

That’s it? Just put one foot in front of the other and hope for the best? “Maybe I’m just chicken.”

“Being afraid is more human than chicken.”

I laugh, leaning back against the wall. “Maybe! But…” I’m scared to let myself fall for Kageyama. I’m scared he doesn’t like me the way I like him. I’m scared to take a chance on something so major. I sigh, puffing my cheeks out. “I guess I’m just thinking too much.”

Ushijima nods. “Okay.”

I feel like he has more to say, but footsteps come running down the stairs, and Tendou practically runs right into Ushijima, shouting his name. “Wakatoshi! There you are.” He grabs him by the wrist, pulling gently. “We have a bit of a situation and need your expertise.” Tendou says no more, dragging Ushijima up the stairs and I don’t know what else to do but follow them. “I don’t think it’s anything super serious, but I’m not the physical therapist!” Tendou shakes his head, leading us through a doorway. The movers are huddled together, surrounding Yuda. He has this weird look on his face, and he’s squeezing his right wrist. “Think you can help him out, sweetie?” Tendou puts his hand on Ushijima’s back, sorta pushing him forward.

“I’m not a doctor, but I can do my best to help.” Ushijima reaches out to Yuda. “What happened?”

Shido sighs. “We were just moving that desk, and his grip slipped.”

Yuda makes a face at one of Ushijima’s touches. “I was trying not to hit the wall, and I guess…I don’t know, that distracted me?” He sighs. “It was stupid of me. I’m sorry.”

Ushijima steps back, blinking. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I think you sprained it.”

“You can’t work like that.” Shido mumbles.

“Does he need to go to the hospital?” Sawauchi asks. I don’t think I’ve heard him say a word this whole time! “I can take him.”

“That’d be best.” Ushijima agrees.

Yuda groans. “But what about the rest of the cargo? We haven’t moved it all in here yet.”

Sawauchi shakes his head. “You have more important things to worry about.” He guides Yuda to the door, Tendou and Ushijima following. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll take his spot.” Kageyama nods.

“But we need three people for this job and the next.” Shido sighs. “Otherwise we'll have to reschedule, or call someone in. Maybe Oikawa has a couple movers nearby.” He takes his phone out, but Kageyama swipes it from his grip. “Give it back! What the hell?”

Kageyama rubs his forehead. “You can’t call Oikawa. I’m on his shit list, and he can’t know anything went wrong.”

“He’s gonna know when Yuda's out with an injury!” Shido rolls his eyes. “Unless you pull a brilliant idea out of your ass, we have no other option. Now give me my phone back.” Shido holds his hand out, but Kageyama doesn’t move. He does turn to me, though, a glint in his eye.

“What?” I ask.

Kageyama points at me. “You’re in.”

Is he serious? He can’t be. There’s no way! He doesn’t look like he’s joking, though. Shido shakes his head and takes his phone back. “He can’t. He’s not a crew member.”

“Yeah, you said I couldn’t because if I get hurt, the company gets in trouble.” I remind him.

“Then don’t get hurt!” Kageyama takes a step toward me. “And don't tell Oikawa.”

Shido finally puts his phone away with a huff. “How’s this gonna work? He'll know Yuda and Sawauchi left. Who will he think helped finish the job?” Shido shakes his head. “This isn’t gonna work, Kageyama.”

Kageyama thinks for a second. “We tell Oikawa that we did it ourselves. We'll say it took longer, but it got done.”

“Are you even qualified for this kind of work?” Shido asks me.

I open my mouth to explain, but Kageyama starts talking first. “He lifts and carries heavy crap all the time. It’s part of his job at his store.” Kageyama stretches his fingers. “We’re almost done here, anyway. We'll be quick, then go to the next place and do the same thing if Sawauchi isn’t back yet. The clients will see three guys working, and won't know the difference.” He points at me again. “You stretch. I’ll bring you a uniform.”

“We better not be here all day.” Shido rolls his eyes, following Kageyama out of the room.

This is so exciting! I can barely stay still long enough to limber up, bouncing with energy. “Finally!” I tell the newly painted walls. “I get to do something besides stand around and do nothing!” This is one of the best parts about my job at the shop! Getting my hands on actual cargo and stuff, getting to move around, diving right in. Kageyama said it, in front of a third party, so he can’t take it back. I’m helping and that’s final!

He comes back in the room, throwing wadded up clothes right at my face. “Hurry and change! We’ve got work to do.” Kageyama shouts before leaving.

“Don’t throw things at me, Kageyama!” I find a bathroom down the hall, shutting the door gently because this isn’t my house. The baseboards and the ceiling still have tape on them, and so does the mirror over the sink. I don’t really pay my reflection any attention until I’ve slipped the Blue Castle tee shirt over my bare skin, the blue green color catching my eye. This is the shirt Kageyama wore yesterday, the one he changed out of when we went exploring at the pier. It still smells like him at the collar and around the neck, a little bit sweaty, a little bit musky. I try not to go out of my way to take a deep sniff, but the scent is weirdly addictive. The stretchy cotton feels nice over my skin, the fabric soft at the hems and worn at the seams. The color doesn’t look half bad on me! It's a little tight in the shoulders, a little too long for me and wrinkled as hell, but it's comfy and I can’t help that! I notice my face going pink, enjoying the look of wearing Kageyama's clothes a little too much. Has he loaned this shirt to anyone else? Am I the only other person besides him to wear it? “Stop it.” I shake my head. “You’re here to work.” Right now, my one job is to not screw up, and I’ve gotta get to it! A deep breath or two and a splash of cold water on my face, and I’m ready to go. I pull on the sweats, cuffing them so they don’t drag, and ball up my clothes under my arm. The rest of the guys are on the bottom level, standing around in some conversation. I stand proud in front of Kageyama, hands on my hips. “Ready for duty!”

For a second, Kageyama just blinks at me. Is he annoyed with me already? I haven’t even done anything yet! I’m about to tell him this when he presses a pair of work gloves to my chest, almost smirking. “Let’s get to work.”

Shido and Kageyama are surprisingly good listeners when we work! With the real heavy stuff that takes all three of us to lift, I check with each of them to make sure they’ve got a good grip, then do a countdown so we lift at the same time. I try to give clear directions, especially with distance and dimensions, and keep my voice loud. I’m not trying to be bossy, or anything, but this is my only shot to prove myself useful and I’m not about to screw it up! Neither of them has much to say aside from answering me and asking for more details, and that makes the rest of the moving go smoothly. When the job is done, I just want to keep moving! “Let’s do that again!” I bounce on my feet. “I hope the next clients have a lot of heavy stuff!”

Kageyama rolls his eyes, but Shido smirks. “King of the road, where’ve you been hiding this guy?” He smiles at me. “You’re better at this than Sawauchi!”

Wow, what a compliment! “Thanks! I can’t wait for the next job.” I tuck the borrowed work gloves under my arm, ready to shake hands with the clients. “It’s been a pleasure moving your things! You have a really nice antique dresser.” I tell Ushijima and Tendou. “I haven’t seen one like it in ages!”

Ushijima blinks, nodding slowly. “Thank you. It was my great grandmother’s.”

“We would never leave that old thing behind.” Tendou smirks. “Been in his family forever!”

They thank all of us for the help, smiles and hugs from Tendou, nods and handshakes from Ushijima. They’re such a weird couple, like opposites, but they seem to be making it work! Tendou is constantly leaning on Ushijima’s shoulder, and Ushijima never pushes him away. They hold hands and stand close together, and the way they look at each other is how old married couples look at each other. I’m happy for them, so it makes me even happier to help them out!

Since Yuda and Sawauchi took the car, Shido joins me and Kageyama in the truck. Shido gets in contact with the others, putting then on speaker. “Any news yet?” Shido asks them.

“They think it’s a sprain.” Sawauchi sighs. “He still has another test to make sure it’s not broken, but it’s looking like a sprain.”

Shido shakes his head. “He won’t be able to come back for a while then, will he?”

“He’s out.”

Kageyama puffs out a breath. “Did anyone talk to Oikawa yet?”

“No. I’m waiting for a solid diagnosis.”

“Okay, good.” Kageyama nods. “Are you coming back today?”

Sawauchi pauses. “Well, I have to drive Yuda out of here. Whenever he’s released, I’ll take him home, and we'll see what time that is.” He pauses again. “Don’t count on me, though. It might take a while.”

“Well, don’t worry about it.” Shido shrugs. “Just keep an eye on him.”

“Yeah, okay.” Sawauchi agrees. “You guys can handle it on your own?”

I wave at the phone, even though he can’t see me. “I’ve gotcha covered!”

Sawauchi hums. “Oh. That works, I guess.”

“We’re almost at the flat.” Shido mentions. “I’ll talk to you later so we can meet up.” He ends the call after Sawauchi says a quick goodbye, then turns to me. “So how is it that you know what you’re doing, anyway? Kageyama says you work at a store or something.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Technically! I’m the manager at our new location. We take donations and buy used goods and sell them at low prices.”

“A recycle shop.” Kageyama adds.

That term doesn’t sit well with me. It sounds sad, so I prefer to use other terms. “A used goods store.” I correct him. “It was my job to look for cool stuff to sell, like at yard sales and online, and I had to help with floor displays and loading people’s cars.” I shrug. “Heavy lifting is part of the job.”

Shido nods. “Makes sense. I wondered how a manager could be so good at this!”

“Just doing the job!” I smile, glad to get any recognition. Kageyama never has a nice thing to say to me, so positive words are really nice to hear. “I’m excited to get to work on this next place. Oikawa said a couple guys would meet us at the door?” I remember Oikawa saying something about this job, but after I was told to stay out of the way again, I tuned out.

We pull up to the building and Shido nods. “Yup. Ready to roll?”

I can’t get out of the truck until he does, so I squeeze his shoulder, almost shaking him. “Yeah! Let’s get to work.”

The three of us walk up to the front door, a slim man in glasses waving to us. “You’re the movers?”

“Blue Castle.” Shido nods. “Are you…?”

The man holds his hand out. “Akaashi Keiji. Nice to meet you.”

We shake his hand, but I’m a little confused. “Is it just you? I thought there’d be two of you.”

Akaashi blinks. “Two of me?” He smirks a tiny bit, shaking his head. “Oh, I see what you mean. No, he actually got called into work, so it’s just me today.” He gestures to the door. “I hope the lack of lift won’t be a problem. It’s only three sets of stairs.”

“Only three?” I ask, surprised I’ll get the chance to walk on any! “That’s better than none! Lead the way, Akaashi, good sir.” I tell him. He barely smiles and Kageyama hits the back of my head and Shido snickers.

Up the stairs, the unit is a lot smaller than I thought it'd be, especially since there’s so much stuff in here! I look around at all the boxes, all the shelves and the arm chairs and side tables. Akaashi clears his throat, sorta pink in the face. “I know it’s a lot to take in at once. I’ve…collected quite a few things over the years.” He fiddles with his fingers a bit.

I pinch the arm of one of the recliners. It’s in good condition! “And it’s all going in storage?” I ask, resisting the urge to jump in the chair and give it a test run.

Akaashi exhales. “Yes.”

“You don’t sound so sure.” Shido laughs.

“No, I am.” Akaashi nods once. “Everything going in the other flat is already there.”

Kageyama gets the checklist out, bending a corner of the page. “This is all going in storage.”

Akaashi nods, clasping his hands. “That’s right.” His little smile comes back. “It’s all just…stuff. If I ever need it, I can go get it, but…well, things are just things. There are much more important things in the world.”

That’s such a grown-up thing to say! This guy’s pretty dang smart. “You said it!” I smile.

“Shall we get started, then?” Shido asks, cracking his knuckles with a smirk. This is my first full job, so I don’t waste any time following his suggestion. Kageyama explains the checklist procedure to Akaashi and hands the clipboard off to him. After that, it’s smooth sailing! They listen to my guidance, use proper technique and don’t argue. We take it slow on the stairs when we need to, and we take breaks after real heavy lifting. The only problem with this job is how much stuff there is! It takes a long time to move a ton of heavy things down several flights of stairs. While it’s a fun workout, it goes on for longer than scheduled. My thighs and biceps feel wobbly when we’re finally done, not used to so much work all at once. Akaashi walks us to the door, thanking us for our help and handing the checklist back. “Our pleasure!” Shido smiles. “Next time you see your stuff, it’ll be going in storage.”

“We'll see you then!” I wave goodbye, and he waves back before heading off in his own car.

While Kageyama inspects the truck, Shido messages the others. “Okay, so if you could drop me off at the hospital, I’d appreciate it.” He sighs. “Yuda’s out with a sprained wrist for at least eight weeks.”

I don’t mean to gasp, but I do. “That long?”

He nods. “He’s got a splint and everything.” Kageyama joins us in the cab, and Shido motions at him. “I’m meeting the guys at the hospital. Can you drop me off?”

“Yeah. What happened?” Kageyama asks, getting us on the road.

“His sprain will cost him two months, minimum.” Shido explains again. Kageyama whistles. “Sucks, but I’m sure Oikawa will understand. And we got a good substitute on our hands!” Shido slaps me on the back, kinda hard, and laughs. “Who knew?” Well, I did, but I don’t think he’s really asking. He tells us more about Yuda’s situation on the way to the hospital, and we exchange information. When I open my social media app, I notice that not only is Shido now following me, so is Kageyama. “Cool. Well, until next time, Hinata!” Shido says, shaking my hand.

“Nice working with you!” I tell him. “Say ‘get well’ to Yuda for me!” I wave out the window after he leaves. It’s getting dark, so I’m not sure he can see me, but he agrees and makes his way through the parking lot. I yawn, turning to Kageyama. “We took too long, didn’t we?” I think that last appointment was really underestimated.

He nods, turning us back to the street. “Yeah. Couldn’t be helped.”

“I guess.” Honestly, I haven’t been this wiped out in some time! I yawn again, leaning back into my seat. I feel a candy bar wedged underneath, so I unwrap it and split it with Kageyama.

“Did you want to get food for the road, or get to the hotel first?” He licks his thumb.

For once, I’m not even hungry. “I need a bed, I think. Aren’t you tired?”

He nods. “Yeah. We'll check in in a bit.”

I yawn yet again, resting against the door and not the window. “Okay, Tired-yama.” I want to close my eyes for a while, but the wash of the dusky sky over Kageyama is really pretty. The colors make his skin look glowy and his eyes look an even deeper shade of blue and I don’t want to look away. Most of the time, he looks cranky and a little scary with his frowny mouth and serious eyes, but Kageyama's face is more than that. He doesn’t always shave, and his beard stubble brings out the sharpness of his jawline. When he thinks something’s particularly stupid, he wrinkles his nose and gets these funny little lines between his eyebrows. The rare times he laughs or smiles enough to show his teeth, I remember that the two front ones are a little longer than the others, kinda like a bunny rabbit. I want to keep enjoying the view, but we get to our hotel too fast.

I’m doing all I can to stay standing in the lobby, tired and ready to collapse, only catching that our room's at a discounted rate, for some reason. “Don’t fall asleep here.” Kageyama pushes me to the lift and down the hall. When he opens the door, his face goes a little red. “It was their last room, okay? It’s just one night.”

What’s he going on about? I walk in, dragging my bag behind me, when I notice there’s only one bed. “Oh.” I feel my own face heating up, not sure where to go from here.

“At least it’s big.”

I mean, I guess. I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t, but it’s probably for the best this way. I nod, tossing my stuff on the desk. “True.” I flop down on the bed, not even bothering to shower or change or get under the blankets. I’m too exhausted to even pretend to care! I nuzzle into one of the fluffy pillows with a sigh, letting my eyes shut. “It’s comfy, too.”

“Don’t hog it!” Kageyama shoves me over a bit, but doesn’t get on. I hear him moving around the room, the bathroom, near the desk. As lazy as possible, I crawl under the covers and toss my shirt aside. I think I doze off for a second because when I open my eyes, the lights are off and I’m not alone in the bed. I can feel something against my shoulder, scratchy and warm. I inch a little closer, able to feel Kageyama’s breath on my arm, and confirm that his beard stubble is what’s so scratchy against my skin. Is it bad that I like how it feels? I let my eyes fall shut again, deciding I worked hard today and earned the right to cozy up with Kageyama. I feel myself smile a bit, wonderfully drowsy and relaxed, and ready for more sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Kags POV next time. It’s a little shorter, another sort of transitional chapter, but it’s cute and fluffy and starting to get good XD It has spoons, pillows and pasts~


	9. Awake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An emotionally pivotal chapter, so get ready, y'all. I don’t use the ‘slow burn' tag, but maybe I should hahha

Just when sleep was getting good, a horrible sound jolts me awake. It’s still dark, probably super early in the morning, and the sound repeats itself over and over. Something under my arm shifts, moving beside me. “Kageyama? What’s going on?” Hinata’s voice is slightly shaky, and noticeably close. I blink in the dark, realizing that my arm is on top of him, holding his body near mine. How did that happen? “Is that the fire alarm?” Hinata sounds more alert now, moving out of my grip to turn on a light. His hair is a mess and his eyes are still glassy, and I can’t find my own voice. I just keep staring at him, shirtless and under the same blankets as me. “Kageyama, let’s go!” Hinata shoves me, rattling my brain back to normal.

“Right. Come on, then.” I shake my head, standing from the bed and looking around in the dim light. Where’s my phone? Do I take my bag? We got in pretty late, so I didn’t really settle in too much. I shove my wallet and phone in my bag, heading for the door, but Hinata's still standing around. “Get your shit!”

He throws his shirt on, dragging his backpack behind him. “Where do we go?”

I grab him by the wrist, pulling him down the hall. A handful of other people are rushing to the stairwell, so I follow them. The fire alarm is so loud, I have to cover one ear to hear myself think. We almost trip down the steps, nearly running into other people, the exit door propped open. It’s dark out, but I can see other hotel guests crowding around the parking lot. Someone says something about the fire department on their way, another person says something about being locked out. Hinata tugs on my hand, which somehow ended up in mine. “What?” I ask, letting him go so he can step away.

“That’s the one who checked us in.” He gestures at the front desk attendant near the door. “I’m gonna ask what’s up.”

I nod, fighting back a yawn. “Yeah, okay.” I watch him walk away. How did we end up holding hands? And when did we start…cuddling in bed? Hinata’s pretty dumb, but I’m pretty sure he’s aware these things were happening, and he didn’t do anything to stop them. Yesterday, he was acting pretty comfortable around me, like when he was resting on me at the stream and didn’t pull away. He even had no issue wearing my clothes. In fact, he’s still in my tee shirt! He’s walking back over, scratching his head. “So?”

Hinata takes a seat on the pavement, hugging his bag. “Firefighters are coming to see if there’s a fire and where it is, or if it was a false alarm. We can’t go inside until they give the all-clear.” He yawns really big. “We're probably gonna be here a while.”

“Great.” I sigh. “Now what?”

He shrugs. “Get comfortable.”

All I want to do is sleep. I don’t even know what time it is, but it feels really early in the morning. We better not be standing around for a long time or I won’t get enough sleep to drive right. “This is so stupid.” I sink down to the pavement next to Hinata, eyes heavy. “I need sleep.”

“You can sleep out here.” Hinata smirks, I think. It’s not easy to see in the dark.

I roll my eyes. “On the sidewalk? Yeah, right.”

Hinata pats his bag. “You can use this as a pillow!” He stretches his legs out, making the backpack fall to his lap. “It’s not as comfy as the hotel pillows, but it’s softer than the ground, and cleaner, too.” That is true. And if I can lie down and at least get some rest, I won’t be as out of it tomorrow. With a sigh, I lean down and rest my head and shoulders on the backpack, not caring that the rest of me is on the dirty pavement. “Um…K-Kageyama?” Hinata stutters.

“Hm?” I grumble, closing my eyes.

He puts one hand on my shoulder, warm and light. “Can I tell you the dream I was having?”

Of course he’d ask something so dumb. “Sure.”

“Okay.” Hinata’s hand seems to relax. “I was the host of a cooking show. I think it was my show, but I’m actually not sure if I was just a guest now that I’m thinking about it. Well, anyway, I was on this cooking show and I was making some sort of pudding, or something. I’ve never even made pudding, but in the dream, I was a pro at it!” He laughs. “I was mixing up all the ingredients and stuff and telling the audience what I was doing, but they couldn’t hear me, so I stopped and had to start over. It was weird because I had like, five backup puddings! But yeah, so I started over and someone in the audience told me to put it on the stove. Is pudding made on the stove?” He pauses but doesn’t wait for me to answer, which is good because I have no idea. “Well, in the dream, that’s what I was supposed to do, so I did. And then I set this timer that was shaped like a tangerine, I think, and told the audience to watch the fruit.” He laughs again. “I started telling them about a time when I made a friend that recipe, and guess what?” Hinata rubs my shoulder. “It was you! I said that I’d made my friend Kageyama that pudding and you always ask me to make it every time you visit my house.” Even though it’s stupid and I’m trying to rest, I laugh a little, too. “And then the audience laughed and started cheering my name. I think it distracted me, or something, and I forgot about the timer, or whatever, and it started going off. It sounded just like the fire alarm, and then I woke up and it was the fire alarm! Isn’t that so weird?” Hinata asks. I nod as best I can from this angle, not wanting to shift so I don’t move his hand.

“Yeah, it is.”

Hinata hums. “Were you dreaming when it went off, too?”

I can’t even remember, but I mostly don’t remember my dreams. “I don’t think so.”

“That’s too bad. Dreams are fun, even if they make no sense.”

“I guess.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “I should tell you about this one dream I had not too long ago! Ready to listen?”

“Yeah, go ahead.” I agree to hear about this fun dream of his, keeping my eyes closed. I don’t really pay a lot of attention, but with the way Hinata lowers his voice, I think he expects me to drift in and out of sleep. He goes on for a while, rambling about whatever, and I don’t want to stop him. Hinata doesn’t know how to shut up, but right now, it doesn’t bother me. I actually kinda…like it. It’s soothing to hear a familiar voice out here, not knowing when we can go back to our rooms in this strange hotel in this strange town, able to feel that he’s here with me. I wouldn’t mind doing more of this, even out here. It’s not good to think this way, knowing we'll go our own separate ways in a few days, but I think I can let myself have this moment. I mean, there’s no harm in enjoying a few minutes of lying down in a cute hunk’s lap while he rubs my arm and whispers his dreams to me. No harm at all, I don’t think.

Hinata shakes me awake when we’re allowed back inside. “Come on, Kageyama.”

Slowly, I get to my feet, rubbing my eyes awake. “We gotta leave early tomorrow.” I sigh on our way back to our room. “Make up for lost time.”

“What lost time?”

I leave my shoes at the door, dusting my clothes off, and drop my bag on the desk. “The last job took too long, so we didn’t get as far on the road as we were supposed to.” I sink into the mattress, sighing all my air out. “If we get going early, maybe we can make up for that time.”

Hinata nods, joining me under the covers. “Only if you’re rested enough.”

“It’ll be fine.” I set my alarm early, leaving my phone on the nightstand. “Be ready to go in four hours.”

“Fine." He groans, settling in near me, but not touching. “Get the light?”

I scoff, pulling the blankets over my head. “You get the light.”

“Kageyama!” Hinata whines.

“You were the last one in bed!” I remind him. “You get it.”

He starts kicking at me, feet cold and finding all my bare skin. “No, you get it!” Hinata’s feet are freezing, and I have to squirm around to avoid the attack. I jump all the way to the edge, nearly falling out of bed on my face. He laughs at the weird sound I make. “Oh, good, you’re up!”

Real funny. “Shut up.” I walk over to the main switch, memorizing my way back to the bed before it’s dark. Luckily, it’s pretty much a straight shot, so the light being off isn’t a big deal. When I get to the bed, I fumble around for one of the pillows. I hold it up over my head, then bring it crashing down over Hinata. He’s the one who makes a weird sound this time, and now I’m the one laughing. “Dumbass!” I get situated under the blankets, not minding having one less pillow.

“You are not nice.” Hinata sounds pouty.

“I’m plenty nice! I just turned the light off for you.” I leave out the part where I slammed a pillow on him, but he doesn’t argue. “Get some sleep.”

“Goodnight, Kageyama.” His voice is soft, just out of reach.

“’Night, Hinata.” I whisper back, letting my body relax into more sleep.

Waking up for the third time today sucks more than the other two times. I feel shittier, and not ready for work at all. My head is throbbing, my eyes are aching, my muscles are tense and my mind feels foggy. When I move to shut the alarm up, I realize that I’m actually caged in, Hinata’s arms around me in a pretty snug spoon. How in the hell did this happen? There’s not a lot of time to think about it, though. I escape his sleepy hug to end the alarm tone and get going on the day. Well, I try to get going, but the sight in the bed keeps me standing in place. Hinata snuggles up to the pillow I’d been using, nuzzling it with his cheek. He breathes out, a content little sigh, and almost smiles in his sleep. His eyelashes look longer with his eyes shut, and his hair looks brighter against the white sheets. He starts to snore again, not too loudly, like he’s back in a deep sleep. We have too much to do to just laze around today, so I can’t let him keep sleeping, no matter how comfy he looks. I poke him in the shoulder, annoyed that my alarm and movements to get up didn’t wake him. He swats at my hand with a little hum, mouth turning down into a pout. I poke him again, making him groan. “Kageyama, it’s too early! Come back to bed.”

That’s a nice invitation, but not an option. “We have to get back on the road. Get moving.”

“I don’t wanna.” Hinata sits up, rubbing his face. “We need more sleep.”

I don’t have time to argue. “I’m gonna shower. Don’t go back to bed. I’m serious.” I warn him. He makes a face, but doesn’t say anything. There’s no way in hell I’m shaving today, so I brush my teeth in the shower and barely dry off before getting dressed again. Hinata’s waiting his turn, sitting on the floor, when I walk over to the desk. “Why’re you on the floor?” I ask.

“So I won’t be tempted to sleep.” He sighs. “I’ll be fast.”

“Good.” I say as Hinata drags himself to the bathroom, eyes half shut. He takes a pile of clothes with him, leaving his open bag on the bed. He has his phone charger on the very top. I guess I won’t have to remember it for him this time. Even though he didn’t make a big deal about the charger thing and I didn’t either, seeing it all ready to go makes me smile. Most of the time, I think his head is empty, but sometimes he actually listens. Hinata isn’t always annoying, which in itself is annoying. I’m thinking about him too much. I shake my head, grabbing my phone to check our route for the day. We have two stops, not very close to each other, so there’s plenty to keep my mind off Hinata. Well, unless he decides to talk a lot and act adorable, which he does every single hour. I might be screwed, actually.

He comes back into the room, dressed and toweling off his hair. “Do we have a long drive?”

“Sorta.” I gather up my stuff and try not to yawn. “The first place isn’t that far, but the one after that is a little drive away. Why?”

Hinata folds the towel on the bed. “Just wondering how long I have to wake up.”

I lead the way out of the room, shaking my head. “What're you talking about?”

“I gotta be alert on the job!” He smirks. “Even if I’m back on checklist duty. It’s not professional to work while half asleep, right?” Hinata shrugs, following me to the truck. “I think there’s an energy drink in the back, or something. Maybe a can of coffee, too.”

Last time I checked, we only had coffee, but whatever. I do my inspection and get started on the drive. My stomach growls, but there’s no time to deal with it. I find a couple protein bars tucked behind my seat, buried under something. A jacket, maybe? “We can probably stop for a real breakfast tomorrow. We have time to start the day late.” I remind Hinata, handing him one. “Too much time to make up today, though.” Which really sucks because I’m starving and just want to sleep. I almost yawn, but hold it back.

He sighs, lazily chewing. “Can't wait for that!”

I nod in agreement. “Nothing but work today.” Pretty much the same as yesterday. “Two different crews, too, one for each client. The second one’s the client from yesterday, so it’ll be a ton of work.” Which means we'll both be working more than usual. I’ll have to do more heavy lifting without Hinata stepping in this time, and he won’t be able to direct. Never thought I’d actually let him help, let alone guide the crew, but it was actually a good thing! He proved that he’s even more skilled than he claimed to be, somehow able to give good instruction and lift more than his share, and now I have to live without him helping. It’s not any different than before, but now I know what I’m missing. “I might die.” I sigh.

Hinata laughs, for some reason. “Kageyama, you need to sleep.”

I shake my head. “We have a lot of road to cover.”

“But look!” He sticks his finger close to my face. “You’ve got dark circles under your eyes, and you keep fighting back yawns. I can tell! And you aren’t your normal, grumpy self. You’re quieter than usual.” I swat his hand away. “See? No: ‘shut up, dumbass Hinata.’” He makes his voice sound weird, I think trying to mimic me. “We’ve gotta sleep!” He yawns. Even though I don’t want to admit he’s right, he might be.

“If it’ll shut you up.”

Hinata huffs, turning to look out his window. “Fine. Whatever excuse you need to rest.”

Just up ahead, there’s a place I can park without issue. It’s like a rest stop, but pretty much just a big parking area with benches and a few toilets. I pull in towards the back where it’s emptiest, parking and unbuckling my seatbelt. When I start taking my shoes off, I can pretty much feel Hinata’s eyes on me. I motion to hurry. “Take your shoes off if you wanna sleep.” I set mine by my door, standing on my seat. Hinata’s stupidly big bag is taking up all the room in the top compartment, so I drop it on my seat along with my hat and climb up.

“Where'd you go?”

So stupid, seriously. I roll my eyes, reaching down. “I told you before, I sleep up here when your shit isn’t in the way. Now come on. Shoes off.” I don’t have to repeat myself again because Hinata finally seems to get it and follows my directions. He doesn’t need much help getting up here, but he still takes my hand anyway. I move over a little, pushing a blanket at him. “Two blankets but only one pillow.”

“That's okay! I mean, I don’t…I don’t really mind.” He settles in next to me, and I lie down in the space he’s left. “You really sleep up here?”

Our faces aren’t that far apart, sharing one pillow and facing each other. “Sometimes. The seat doesn’t go back a lot, and it’s better to be lying down.”

Hinata blinks, eyes a little glassy. “I guess. Seems…lonely.”

“I told you, I’m always alone.”

“But what about…I don’t know. Relationships?” His face turns kinda pink. “How do you date when you have nowhere to invite them?”

This subject isn’t fun to talk about, and I’m sure I’m even redder in the face than he is. “I don’t, really. Nothing…nothing serious. And I have a room at my sister’s. I’m not homeless.” There haven’t really been any people I wanted to spend a lot of time with, and I guess everyone feels the same about me. “Besides, nobody wants to date me.”

Hinata looks away. “So there’s no romance in your life right now?”

“Duh.”

“What about before your job? Like, before you started trucking.”

That’s too far back to remember instantly. It takes me a second to remember my life before I lived on the road. “Pretty much the same? Some sex here and there, but nothing, uh…lasting.” There's really nothing more to it. Sexual attraction leads to sex, then being weird leads to weirdness. “I’m fine on my own.”

“So you never want to get married, or have kids, or anything?”

I really want to kiss him. His lips are chapped and a little red, but they’re so close and so pretty. “That’s not what I said.” If I don’t do something, my mouth will be on his before I know it, so I shift enough that I’m not facing him straight on. “So nosy.”

Hinata ignores this comment. “Family’s important.” He says quietly. “Do you miss yours?”

It’s complicated. I sigh. “I see my sister every couple weeks, but I’ve never been close with my parents. They weren’t around a lot for me and Miwa.”

“So who was?”

“My grandpa.” I haven’t talked about him with anyone aside from Miwa in years. “He taught me and Miwa piano when he’d watch us, making sure we had healthy hands and busy brains, and then he’d go back on the road when our parents came home. We learned songs so we could play them for him when he’d come back. He drove a lot more when my sister was old enough to watch me herself.”

“He’s a driver, too?”

I nod. “Yeah, he was. He took me on some of his trips and when I got older, and he showed me how to drive. He only stopped because he got sick.”

Hinata stays quiet a while, so long that I glance over to see if he’s asleep. He blinks, pulling his blanket tighter over himself. “Sorry.” It sounds like he has more to say, but he keeps quiet instead. “You look tired. We should probably try to sleep, right?” He smirks. “Maybe you’ll even have a fun dream you’ll remember.”

Not likely, but I don’t say that out loud. “Maybe. Get some rest, okay?”

“Okay.” He closes his eyes. “You, too, Kageyama.”

“Okay.” I keep my eyes open, turning just a bit so I can see him. Hinata doesn’t look out of place here in my bunk, under my blanket, sharing my pillow. He doesn’t look uncomfortable or uneasy, either, with that calm and sleepy look he wears when he’s in bed. His face is relaxed, mouth barely curved up at the corners, eyelashes making little shadows on the top of his cheeks. Not many people have ever bothered trying to get through to my heart, and I think it’s left a lot of empty space in there. Without even trying, Hinata’s wormed his way right in, and if I’m not careful, he might fill up all that space in no time at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect big things next chapter, along with seagulls, foxes and.. .well, bottom Kags hahha


	10. Lips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t write explicit content, but this is a Mature chapter later on. Also, a little longer update for the soul XD

All I can see when I open my eyes is bright orange. My whole field of view is clouded with a mess of Hinata’s hair. I blink my eyes awake, moving to stop my alarm, which means I have to take an arm off Hinata. His head is pressed to my chest, curled up against me in his own blanket. The urge to kiss him hits me again, even harder this time, so I shift to get back in the driver’s seat. “Time to go.” I poke him in the forehead on my way down. “Get up, Hinata.”

He groans, but I can’t see him anymore. I can just hear him rustling around. “Kageyama? Where…?” Hinata leans over, just enough that I can see his eyes. “I found you! Are we getting back on the road?”

I thought that was pretty obvious. “Yeah, get down.” I put my hat back on and lace up my shoes, awkwardly half on the seat since his bag is huge.

“That was a lot comfier than I expected!” Hinata hops back into his seat, helping me shove his bag in the compartment. “I actually feel a lot better now. How about you?” He stretches his arms over his head, leaving his sneakers tucked away. “Are you ready to rock and roll?”

His words make me roll my eyes, but his smile makes me smirk. “That’s so stupid.”

“Kageyama.”

“Yeah, I feel more awake.” I nod, waiting for him to buckle up before getting back on our route.

Hinata chatters away while I drive. “Have you always been a coffee drinker? I never used to be able to stand the taste, but now it’s okay.” He hands me one of the cans, but then opens it and sets it in my drink holder. “With enough sugar, I think.”

“I started drinking it in high school.” I take a sip so I can keep this alert feeling up. “When I’d tag along on my grandpa’s drives. I like it with milk.”

“You and your milk!” He laughs. “Do you ever drink alcohol? I imagine you’re a sleepy drunk.”

When was the last time I even had a drink? Maybe I had a beer on my birthday, or something. “I’ve never gotten drunk. I only drink for special occasions, and even then, I don’t always.” I shrug. “Pretty much just beer, too.”

Hinata nods. “Beer’s good. I’ve been drunk, but I always hate it the next day! I get the worst hangovers, so it keeps me from drinking too much. What’s your brand?”

We keep talking like this until my phone starts to ring. I see my boss’s name on the screen and immediately sigh. “Great. Don’t say anything about yesterday.” I remind Hinata before answering the call. “On our way, Oikawa.” I tell him before he can ask. He always has the same thing to say to me when he calls. It’s either asking where I am, telling me where to go or what not to do.

“You’re not already there? That’s a surprise!” Oikawa answers. I don’t really know what to say to that, so I stay quiet. “Well, your first job is with a real estate company. You’ll be working with a couple movers from the Seagull Station.” He hums. “That’s what I call one of our cousin companies, little Shouyou. Their building attracts so many seagulls, it’s baffling.” He sort of laughs. “They’re not movers that work for me, but movers I can borrow when geography requires me to do so. Which reminds me: the second job, you’ll be working with a trio from the Fox Den. And that’s not a nickname, shortie pie. It’s literally the name on the building.”

I nod. “Okay, so what am I looking for in the parking lot?”

Oikawa is typing loudly, his phone probably on speaker while he sits at his computer. I’ve worked with both moving companies before, but I just want to be prepared. “I believe it’ll be a white truck with light blue lettering. For the second job, you’ll go directly to the storage unit, waiting for a maroon van. Shall I repeat that?”

“No, I got it. White truck, red van.”

“Maroon.” Oikawa corrects me. “Alright, don’t forget to play nicely, Tobio-chan! These are special guest movers today, so don’t give their managers any reason to call me.”

Again, I nod. “I know that! It’ll be fine.”

“And don’t forget to keep our passenger happy and comfortable! His boss is paying good money, and we don’t want to disappoint him.” Oikawa reminds me, like I need to be told to make sure Hinata stays alive, or something.

I roll my eyes. “He’s fine! We’re almost at the office, alright?”

Oikawa laughs. “Tobio-chan is in a great mood today! Keep him in line, will you, shorty? He can be quite cold and difficult, as I’m sure you know.”

That’s so rude to tell people, but it’s just like Oikawa to embarrass me in front of someone like this. I’m pretty much used to it, even though it’s annoying as hell. I roll my eyes, ignoring his comments, but Hinata leans forward towards the phone. “Not really.” Hinata replies. “He might be stubborn and quiet, but those aren’t bad to live with.” He turns to me, but I don’t look over at him. He just stood up for me, and if I do glance his way, he’ll see how red my face is.

“Whatever you say, little one! Take care, dear Tobio, and don’t let me down!” Oikawa says this like he’s singing, quickly ending the call.

Hinata breathes out, like a sigh. “He’s known you a long time, hasn’t he?”

I nod. “Yeah, over ten years.”

“Well, I guess he’s never taken the time to really understand you. His loss!” He smirks, getting his shoes back on now that we’re in town. How can I keep liking him more and more every day? It’s the worst!

We’re close enough to the appointment time that we wait for the movers outside the truck. The sun’s not too hot today, so we lean against the cab. “I think we’re running out of water bottles.” I think out loud. “It’s warmer out today, so that sucks.” I’ll have to buy a case next time we fuel up, but I’m not sure there’s that much room behind our seats. “Think you can keep your bag further back in the overhead storage? I can try to keep more water there.”

Hinata shrugs. “I don’t see why not.” He points to a car turning into the parking lot. “Is that them?”

The sign on the side of the truck says so, so I nod. “Yup.” I can see two familiar faces through the windows, and if I remember correctly, they’re very good at their job. “I’ve worked with these two before. They’re good.”

“Like, easy to work with?”

Well, sorta. “I mean, I guess, but they’re both fast and strong.”

“Stronger than me?” Hinata smirks, taking a step toward the truck.

“Stronger than even you.” I elbow him.

At the truck, the driver runs over with this dumb grin on his face, round eyes big. “Kageyama Tobio! When’s the last time I saw you?” He asks, running a hand through his short, pale hair. “I heard we'd be working with the king of the road today and I drove fast as I could.”

“Hey, Hoshiumi.” I shake his hand, then wave at the other mover. “Hi, Hirugami.”

Hirugami smiles and waves at us. “Hello. Who’s this?” He looks at Hinata. “You’ve got a little partner, too?”

Silently, Hoshiumi rolls his eyes, probably used to similar words from Hirugami. Hinata pouts, though, standing straight. “I’m not little!” Well, compared to me and Hirugami, he and Hoshiumi look like kids. “You’re just tall. And you haven’t seen what I can do on the job.” Hinata smirks, jabbing his thumb at himself. “Pro movers think I’m one of them!”

Hoshiumi blinks, stepping forward. “You’re not a mover?”

I shake my head. “Not technically.”

“So we won’t see you working?”

Do they want to see him in action that bad? I glance over at Hinata, who’s looking up at me with shining eyes. Hell, what’s one more secret from Oikawa? “Okay.” I nod. “With all four of us, it’ll go by even quicker.”

Hinata squeezes my shoulder. “You mean it?”

“Yeah.” I smirk. “Go change.”

While we wait for Hinata, Hirugami shifts his weight from one foot to the other and stretches his fingers over and over. Hoshiumi notices, nudging him. “What’s up?”

“I was just thinking that maybe we don’t all need to work. Maybe only three of us do.” Hirugami shrugs. “Just a thought.”

Hoshiumi slaps him on the back. “Think you need a break?”

For some reason, Hirugami smiles. “I think I’m good, actually.” Hoshiumi grins back.

As soon as Hinata gets back, he races to the office building. Hoshiumi says he can outrun him, but I’m sure I can beat them both to the door. Hirugami laughs, not bothering to even try. Before any of us can get to the door, it opens, an annoyed looking man on the other side. “What’re you…?” He asks, shaking his head.

Hirugami steps forward. “We’re the movers. These guys were just excited to get started!”

His explanation is good enough for the guy in the office. He shrugs, letting us in. “Okay. I’m Yaku Morisuke, by the way. That’s my name on the building.” Yaku smirks, walking us through the office. He must be one of the bigshot realtors, then. “But we'll get the sign changed soon.”

“How come?” Hinata asks.

“Half the team is moving to open an east location.” Yaku shrugs, hand on a doorknob. “Their paperwork and supplies are in here.” The room is cluttered with boxes and plastic bins, a couple desks and filing cabinets pushed to one side. Yaku frowns, looking around the room. “Lev?” He sighs. “Lev, what’re you up to?”

Suddenly, a towering man stands from one of the desks, but not before hitting his head on the way up. “Ow!” He rubs his head, pushing his silver hair back. “Sorry, Yaku! I was just picking up some papers I dropped.” He waves at us, green eyes intense. “Hello! You can call me Lev.”

We introduce ourselves, shaking hands and being polite. “How exciting! You two are getting your own branch, then?” Hinata bounces on his feet.

Lev bounces on his feet, too. “Yup! I get my name on the building and everything.”

“Eventually.” Yaku scoffs.

“You said when the offices are back in order!”

“Yeah, so, eventually.” Yaku smirks. “Let me show you the other exit. It might be easier with the desks.” He gestures, taking Hirugami and Hoshiumi with him down the hall.

Lev sighs, sitting on one of the desks, rubbing his head again. “This will be hard.”

Hinata starts to stretch his arms, preparing for the unexpected workload. “Moving this stuff? It’ll be easy peasy! You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Not that.” Lev tries to smile. “I’ve never been in charge of anything.”

“Oh, you’ll be in charge?” Hinata asks, stretching to the side. When his shirt moves up, I can see how low his pants sit. I look away before anyone notices me noticing him.

Lev moves his head side to side. “Sort of. Yaku's my partner.”

“You're dating?”

Lev’s face goes red, but his smile gets bigger. “I meant in real estate! We’re in this together, so it’s our office, not just mine.”

I smack Hinata, almost knocking him over since he’s off-balance in a stretch. “Dumbass.”

He laughs, elbowing me. “It was a reasonable mistake!” He turns back to Lev. “So you two are working together. I’m sure things will be fine! This office looks fancy, so it looks like you guys know what you’re doing.”

“Yeah.” Lev shrugs, still smiling. “I guess it’s better that I’ll have Yaku with me. I could never do this on my own!”

The others walk back in, explaining that I’ll have to move the truck to the backdoor for easier access. I park my truck in the proper spot, noticing that Hinata’s waving his arms like crazy in the doorway. Is something wrong? He doesn’t look happy. I rush out, gripping his shoulders as soon as I can reach him. “What is it?” I ask, almost out of breath.

Hinata points to the inside of the office. “Hoshiumi and Hirugami are already starting without us! They’re gonna get to all the heavy stuff first.”

Like hell they are! “What’re you waiting for? Let’s go!” I spin him around and shove him through the door. Hinata may not be an actual mover, but he sure can work like one. Even better, actually! With him on my team, I know we can get more done than the other guys. We run back to the office where the clients are talking to each other over paperwork of some sort and the other movers are lifting one of the desks. All Hinata has to do is send a glance my way, smirking with a glint in his eyes, and we get right to work. I just…know what he’s thinking, no words needed. Once we get to work, we fall into the routine we set yesterday. Like before, he’s clear and direct with his words, and just like before, I follow every one of them. Sometimes I have to remind him of the step at the backdoor, or to watch a corner, but things go smoothly and quickly. A few times I have to remind myself to look away from the shirt pulled tight over his chest, pants straining over his thighs, arms flexing under every heavy object. I don’t let myself get distracted too much, making sure Hoshiumi and Hirugami don’t get all the glory. I’m almost surprised the job is done so fast, but that’s what happens with people who work right.

“Thank you for the help.” Yaku shakes our hands. He elbows his partner, whose name I’ve already forgotten.

“Right!” The silver-haired one grins. “Thank you very much!”

Me and Hinata part ways with the other movers once we’re in the parking lot. “Maybe we'll run into each other again.” Hoshiumi smirks at Hinata. “Don’t think I’ll let you hog all the fun next time, either!”

Hinata nods. “We'll see!”

On our way to the next location, I don’t bother playing any music. We’re not that far, and Hinata keeps talking about watermelons and their seeds. He makes a funny face when he mentions spitting contests, and I try not to stare at the way my work clothes fit him.

We meet our client from yesterday at the storage unit. He’s alone again, and waiting outside, for some reason. “What’s he doing?” I mumble as I park my truck.

“What do you mean?” Hinata asks.

“We’re supposed to meet the other movers out here, then meet the client in there.”

He shrugs. “Oh well! Let’s get moving.”

I follow him to the client who’s looking off at the sky with his hands behind his back. He pushes his glasses up his nose when we’re closer to him. “Nice to see you both again.” He nods.

Hinata looks up, blinking. “Something up there, Akaashi?”

Akaashi smiles. “Nothing in particular. Just watching the clouds change.”

“Neat! So it’s just you again?” Hinata asks.

“Well, for right now.” He checks his watch. “Time will tell.”

The red van shows up pretty quick, pulling in crooked and a little too fast for a parking lot. I take a tiny step back, noticing Hinata and Akaashi do, too. Three men step out, two of them looking like copies of each other, only with different hair colors. The twin with black hair rolls his eyes. “No way you’re drivin’ back.”

“And why not?” The blonde twin asks, spinning the car keys on one finger.

The black-haired twin just blinks at him. “Did you forget about the part where you almost killed us pullin' in here?”

The blonde twin scoffs. “You’re alive, ain’t ya? We survived. Shinsuke, tell him how alive you are.”

The third man slowly walks over to the blonde twin. In one motion, he swipes the keys from his grip and turns on his heel. “I’m driving back. I’d like to continue living.”

The black-haired twin smirks while the other twin sulks, and all three finally join us. “You’re the movers.” Akaashi nods. “Akaashi Keiji. Nice to meet you.” He shakes their hands.

“That’s right. I’m Kita Shinsuke.” The third man nods. “That’s Miya Osamu.” He gestures at the black-haired twin, then the blonde twin. “And that’s Miya Atsumu.” Kita offers a polite smile. “We’re happy to help you today. Is it just you?”

Akaashi checks his watch again. “For now.”

Since we have the extra help, I’m stuck on checklist duty while Hinata is stuck on nothing duty. He watches the movers bicker, sometimes hitting each other, and none of them bat an eyelash. “Looks like they’re used to this!” Hinata laughs. “I bet all three have worked together a long time. Don’t you think?”

I nod. Akaashi sorta smirks. “Never a dull moment, I’m sure.”

The Miyas shout over a recliner, the chair shifting from one twin's grip to the other, and Kita rights it without a word. “You sure got a lot of stuff, Akaashi! Will your new place have this much, too?” Hinata asks.

“No.” Akaashi cracks his knuckles, slowly and carefully. “But that’s fine with me.”

Hinata shrugs. “Yeah, but it can be hard to leave old stuff behind.”

“I think it’s easier with so many new, positive things in my future.” Akaashi says this with such a tiny smile, I wonder if I’m imagining it.

“You’re so wise! Just like an owl.” Hinata laughs. I flick his forehead, and he pouts. “Why?”

“You’re such a dumbass.” I want to add that he has the brain of a child, but loud footsteps interrupt my thoughts, coming from somewhere around the corner, down the hall of storage units. The way things are set up in here is kinda like a maze, so it doesn’t seem weird that these stomping noises seem to travel everywhere before getting close.

After a million heavy steps, some hulky guy pauses to look down this row of storage units, grinning when he sees us standing here. His eyes are open wide, big strides getting him over here in little time. “Hey, hey, hey! I found you, finally! This place is huge.” He ignores me and Hinata completely, lifting Akaashi off the floor and spinning him around once, holding him up even after he stops spinning, kissing his cheek a thousand times. “I thought I’d have to call you!” He laughs, pulling Akaashi against him in a tight hug.

“I told you which unit’s mine.” Akaashi says as he hugs back.

The other guy laughs. “Oh yeah!” He finally puts him down, holding a plastic bag out. “Sorry I’m so late, by the way. I would’ve been earlier, but I thought you might be hungry.”

Akaashi takes the bag without question. “You are forgiven.”

Finally, the guy’s round eyes land on me and Hinata. He grins again, waving. “Hi there! I’m Bokuto Koutaro. Would’ve met you yesterday, but I had to work!”

“So you’re Akaashi’s other half.” Hinata shakes his hand. “Hinata Shouyou! That’s Kageyama Tobio.” He says something about yesterday’s work, but I stop listening. Akaashi’s over here snacking on whatever food was brought to him, stoic and silent, while Bokuto’s loudly making friends with a stranger, all big smiles and even bigger laughs. How the hell are they a couple? They’re like opposites, yet obviously grossly in love. So weird, but I think…I think I might get it. When Hinata throws his head back in a laugh, it makes me feel warm inside, and I just huff out a chuckle. When he bounces excitedly on his feet, it stirs my stomach up, and I nod without a sound. When he puts all his effort into working, it’s like my heart stops and beats faster at the same time, and I almost stare at him too long. It’s so stupid, but I get it.

The twins and Kita finish moving all the crap into the unit, and the clients go over the list with me. Well, Akaashi goes over the list. Bokuto just kinda stares at the paperwork like it’s in a foreign language. “I really appreciate the help!” Bokuto shakes our hands when we get to the parking lot. “You guys are alright!”

“Thanks a lot.” Akaashi adds with that little smile.

The clients take off first, then the maroon van starts to fill up. “It was very pleasant working with you.” Kita nods, shoving the twins anywhere but the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, you, too!” Hinata waves.

Kita hums. “The clients already left, but I think we’re supposed to tell the front desk to lock the gate.” Usually, the clients tell the workers of the storage unit that they’re done so the doors can be properly locked. The couple seemed to be in a hurry to leave, though, so now the loading door is left open.

“I’ll take care of it.” I shrug. “You’ve got twice as much dumbass to deal with as I do.”

Hinata kicks the back of my knee and Kita nods with a smirk. “Thanks. I’ll see you around.” He waves once before leaving.

“I’ll be right back. Feel free to get in.” I tell Hinata, gesturing at my truck.

“Alrighty!”

The front desk is just around the corner, in the little office with big windows and cheap packing supplies. The attendant seems sleepy, or maybe bored? Either way, they don’t make small talk and barely respond to me at all, which I’m fine with. On my way out, I check our route for the night, noticing we don’t have to stop right away if we don’t want to. Then again, maybe a good night’s rest would be better than cutting drive time tomorrow. I open my mouth to ask Hinata what he thinks when I open my door, but he’s not in the passenger seat or any seat. I blink, checking around the cab. “Hinata?” If he’s in the overhead area, he probably would’ve said something, but I look up there anyway. “Where'd he go?” I mumble, stepping back out onto the pavement. “Hinata?” He’s not on the other side of the truck, and he’s not in the trailer. “Where the hell are you?” I can’t get inside the building since it’s locked now, and I’m sure I would’ve seen him pass by if he’d gone through the front. My annoyance at the dumbass turns into something else when I circle the whole building and come up empty, something like sick and nervous. “Hinata!” I call out, scanning the lot. If anything happens to him, not only will I be fired, but something will have happened to him. Did he get kidnapped? Was a creep just waiting for him to be left alone to steal him? Maybe he wandered off and got hurt and can’t walk back here. Maybe he was doing something stupid and got hit by a reckless driver. Maybe he hit his head and forgot who he was and where he was and walked off and out of my life forever. Not a single one of these thoughts makes me feel better. They all make my hands go clammy and my stomach turn, but I can’t stop them. “Hinata!”

“Yeah?”

I turn around to where the voice came from. All the gross feelings and bad thoughts disappear at the sight of the redhead walking over, plastic bag in hand. Where the hell was he? Why didn’t he say anything before leaving? Is his head filled with mush? He had me in a fucking panic! I want to smack him upside the head, shake him by the shoulders, kick both of his shins, for being such a dumbass. I want to yell and swear and call him names. I want to threaten to leave his ass behind if he ever thinks to do this kinda thing again. I want to do so many things to make Hinata realize just how much he’s pissed me off, how much he’s scared me. As soon as he’s within reach, I grip his shoulders, digging my fingers into the white fabric, and do none of those things. Instead, I slam my mouth against his without thinking of anything but how glad I am to see him. It hurts, but it also feels good, stealing the warmth of his lips and the breath from his lungs. It’s so nice, I almost forget that I may have just done something incredibly stupid. I pull away, still holding to Hinata’s shoulders. His mouth is red, face flushed, eyes wide and blinking. “You…you’re such an idiot.” I shake him just a little, frustration still in me.

“Kageyama?”

I sigh, letting my hands drop and my head hang. “Don’t ever do that again. What were you thinking, going off like that without telling me anything?”

Hinata holds the bag up. “You said we were running out of water, so I got us drinks.”

Why does he have to be so caring, and good? I take the bag from him, sighing again. “You can’t disappear on me like that! You’ve gotta tell me where you’re going, or something, dumbass.”

“You could’ve sent me a message! I have my phone.”

“I don’t have your number.”

He blinks, probably the first time he’s realized this. “Oh, yeah.” He fumbles to get his phone from his pocket, hands unsteady. “Tell me your number and I’ll send you a message. Then you’ll have my information.”

I give him my number, getting a message from him right after. I nod and save his number. “Got it.”

Hinata frowns at his phone. “I missed a call from my sister. I have to call her back.” He immediately puts his phone to his ear, following me to the truck. “Natsu, I’m sorry I missed your call!” He says as we settle in our seats. I can hear his sister’s voice, but no actual words. She’s loud just like her brother. “I was working! No, not at the shop. I mean working with Kageyama and the movers.” I get going, back on the route I’ve set. “Yeah, he let me a couple times, but don’t tell anyone.” He tucks his phone at his shoulder, unwrapping and splitting a candy bar with me. “I don’t know who you’d tell! Just keep it a secret.” Hinata laughs. “He’s fun. I mean, it’s fun! It’s fun to be a mover.” I catch him glancing over here, but he quickly looks away. “Well, I mean…he’s not bad. He’s not a bad guy.” Hinata slumps in his seat. “What do you wanna know?” He shrugs. “He’s tall, his eyes are deep blue, he doesn’t smile a lot.” He sorta laughs, but then gasps. “Is he hot?!” Hinata's eyes go big, cheeks red, when he looks my way. I’m not sure if he’s about to combust, but he looks funny as hell and I want to hear what he has to say.

“Answer her, dumbass!” I laugh.

Hinata smacks my shoulder. “Shut up! Cover your ears.”

I laugh even more. “No fucking way!”

“You’re such a jerk!” Hinata pouts. “No, Natsu, not you. Kageyama’s right here, and he’s being an asshole.” He makes a face at me. “It’s doing nothing for his hotness rating. Even with a nine body, his attitude is a two.”

Wait, is he serious? I stop laughing. “You think I’m a nine?”

Hinata knocks my hat backwards off my head. “Stop eavesdropping on my conversation.” Hinata turns away. “Anyway, he’s not bad. Stubborn and dumb and rude, but he’s not so bad.” He keeps talking with his sister, mostly avoiding saying anything else about me. He says he’s having fun and asks about their mom. I try to stop listening, thinking about that other comment earlier. He said I was a nine, I’m guessing out of ten. That means he thinks I’m attractive, so he might be attracted to me. Is he attracted to me? I know I’ve wanted to kiss him a lot, and I actually did kiss him that one time, but…wait, Hinata kissed me back!

“You kissed me back!”

Hinata almost drops his phone, whipping his head to look at me. His jaw is dropped but he stays silent for a sec. “Kageyama!” He rolls his eyes, holding his hand out like he’s calming someone down, while his sister chatters away. “No! Natsu, ignore that! I’m not…no, I’m not in love! I’ve only known him a few days.” He sighs, turning the tables on her and asking about her romantic life. He’s not in love? Well, he can’t be in love. We barely know each other! Maybe he thinks I’m good looking and wants to kiss me, but that doesn’t mean he wants to love me. I’m not in love with him, either. That’d be impossible. Sure, Hinata’s easy on the eyes and a hardworking guy, and maybe he’s really sweet and thinks about the little things, and I guess he’s fun and sometimes makes me laugh, and I can admit I liked our sleeping snuggles and our kiss and every touch we’ve had…but I don’t love Hinata Shouyou. Absolutely not.

At the hotel, I park in the back and wait a few minutes for Hinata to hang up the phone. He keeps talking, though, and I can’t wait forever. “I’ll get our room, then.” I motion to the building. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” Hinata nods, but then grabs me by the arm. “Kageyama, wait!”

I roll my eyes. “I’ve been waiting! I’ll just get the key and come back.”

He pulls his phone away from his ear, grip easing a little. His eyes are on the space between us, face dark with a flush I can barely see in the fading sunlight. “Do you…do you think…um.” He looks up to meet my eyes with his, inching closer so he can whisper. “Do you think maybe we can get…just one bed?”

He wants to share a bed with me. Maybe he liked our sleeping snuggles, too! At least I’m not the only one who wants to try that again. I nod, moving to get out. “Y-yeah.” Why am I stuttering?

“You want to?”

I nod again. “Yeah. I’ll…I’ll be right back.”

Hinata smiles and lets me go, putting his phone back to his ear. “Just talking to Kageyama. We’re at our hotel for the night, so I have to go soon.”

I don’t stay to hear him finish his call. I head inside and ask for a room with only one bed, big enough for two. The desk clerk tells me there’s a restaurant across the street that delivers to the rooms here, and I take one of the folded paper menus with me back to the truck. “Let’s go. We can order food from the place across the street.” I tell Hinata as I grab my bag.

He’s finally off the phone, gathering up his things. “Awesome! I’m starving.”

We find our room easily, setting our things down on the desk and slipping our shoes off. Neither of us claims any part of the bed. Actually, we kinda avoid going near it at all. Hinata starts rummaging through his backpack and I hold the paper menu hard enough to wrinkle it. “You gonna shower?” I ask.

“Yeah, I think so.” He pulls at the fabric of his shirt. “Did you want this back?”

I’m not sure what to say. Yes because it’s mine, no because he looks better in it than me. If I just stand here, silent, I’ll look weird, so I sit on the edge of the bed right in the middle. “Yeah, but you can keep it in your bag.” I shrug. “You can leave it when I drop you off.”

“Alrighty!” He starts a pile of clean clothes, tugging the shirt up and over his head. His back makes my breath hitch. It looks smooth and hard, wide with no clothes to hide it. Even from over here, I can see a few moles I’ve never seen before, a birthmark near his waist, a set of dimples further down. I’m not trying to be a creep, or get caught staring, so I busy myself with the menu, scanning the items without reading anything. “Hey, are you ordering food now, or later?”

I shrug, not thinking about food at all. “Dunno. I have to see what I want first.”

“Oh, right. Let me see, then.” Hinata holds his hand out, but I don’t move.

“I’m looking at it.”

He sighs. “You can look when I’m in the shower! Let me see.”

I scoff. “Just wait your turn.”

Hinata takes a step closer, but I pull the menu away and hold it out of his reach. “Don’t be stupid! Just let me look.” He tries and fails to take the paper from me. “Kageyama!” He leaps towards me, reaching for it, but ends up leaning on the bed, standing between my legs. I stop playing, looking down at all the places our bodies are almost touching. His hand is near my thigh, chest near mine, knee almost bumping one of my knees. His bare skin looks soft, a little sweaty, and I’ve never wanted to sink my teeth into something so badly. “Kageyama?” His voice is softer now, but he doesn’t move. Not further away, and not closer to me. I want to give in and just let myself get carried away with him, but he’s not doing anything one way or the other.

My throat is suddenly dry, so I swallow before speaking up. “Do you want me?”

Hinata blinks, the red in his face creeping to his chest. “W-what?”

Seeing him flustered does things to my brain, like cloud my sense of control. I wrap one leg around his waist, pulling him in just a bit. His little gasp makes me smirk. “Do you want me, Hinata?” I have to know, right this second.

He leans closer, only a tiny bit. “What happens if I say yes?”

The way he licks his lips leads me to believe he wants this as much as I do. I run my hands up his back, liking the way it makes him shiver when my fingers get to the nape of his neck. His hair is soft, even if it is messy and slightly sweaty. “We get naked, obviously.”

“Then yes.” Hinata falls forward, pushing against me from his mouth to his hips. “Yes, yes, yes.”

The taste of him on my tongue isn’t like anything I’ve ever tasted. Is this how I imagined kissing him would be like? Hot, wet, addictive. I guess I didn’t realize how much I actually wanted this because it doesn’t take me very long to turn into a naked, moaning mess under him, knees on either side of his broad back and fingers tangled in his messy red hair. He's not faring much better, sweating and sighing and red everywhere I’ve kissed. Fingers and lips aren’t enough anymore, though, and I lock my legs around Hinata’s waist so I can get what I need. “What’re you waiting for?” I bite at his earlobe, making him shiver again.

“You to tell me you want me.”

I’m not giving in that easily! I kiss down his neck, dragging my teeth across the skin of his chest. I dig my nails into the skin of his hips, lick up his neck, arch my back. Is he really not gonna do anything if I don’t say what he wants to hear? “Are you serious?” I ask. He hums, keeping his body still. “Hinata, don’t be a dumbass.” I sigh.

“I wanna hear it!” Hinata pushes me against the mattress so he can lean towards my ear. “Or else we can go right to sleep and you can forget any of this ever happened.”

There’s nothing that could make me forget about this. I kiss him, stalling. “So if I say it?”

“Well, then we can have more fun already.”

Damn. I tug his hair, pulling him in for another kiss, much harder this time. “Fine. I want you.”

Hinata smirks, licking his lips. “Again.”

“I want you.” I drag my nails down his back, not too gently. The face he makes only forces the words out more. “I want you. I want you. I fucking want you.” I almost say it again, but Hinata finally gives me what I want and knocks the air right out of me. It’s so good, so perfect, so right. My skin feels hot, on fire from the inside, and I can’t get enough of Hinata. He says all the right words, moves all the right ways, does all the right things to me. It’s a little rough, intense, ruthless, and I just want more, more, more. I get so lost in feeling like I’m lighter than air and hotter than the sun that I almost forget it can’t last forever. It doesn’t last forever, and I’m left panting and shaking, half under Hinata.

He’s catching his breath, too, wiping sweat from his forehead when he finally moves off me. “Whoa.” He sort of laughs, out of air and flushed. “That was…”

“Yeah.” I nod, dragging him back in for sloppy kisses. “Yeah.”

Hinata hums against my mouth, pulling away with a lazy smile. “I gotta go shower. Did you…wanna join me?”

I mean, I do, but my stomach is empty. Where’d that menu get to, anyway? “Food first.”

“Okay, just order for me.” Hinata pokes me in the shoulder after getting out of bed. “You obviously know what I like.” The way he wiggles his eyebrows is so stupid, but I can’t argue with a naked, satisfied man that was just yelling my name minutes ago.

“Shut up.” I roll my eyes, ignoring his laugh, and look for the stupid folded paper that got us in this situation to start with. I’ll order food for us and maybe Hinata will be out of the shower by then so he can wait for the delivery while I shower? Either way, I’ve worked up quite an appetite and the lingering taste of candy bar off Hinata’s tongue isn’t exactly what my stomach's looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we’ve got more sexy business, some backstory and a touch of softness!


	11. Cargo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just past the halfway mark of this fic! That was fast hahha the mature scene is at the start, so there’s your warning X3

Was last night a mistake? Was it a good idea to kiss Hinata, or make out with him? Should we have fucked and shared the same bed? Things during dinner weren’t awkward, and we didn’t act weird when we settled in for sleep. I woke up next to him, my head on his shoulder, Hinata on his back with his arms outstretched. His bicep makes a good pillow for my neck, solid and firm. We don’t have anywhere to be for a while, even though I did promise him a sit-down breakfast. It’s kinda nice to just be here in the morning with him, not hurrying and not working. He looks different when he’s asleep, eyes and mouth shut, hair even messier than usual. His lips are so pink, curved so pretty. I can’t see his faint freckles in this lighting, but I can imagine them scattered over his cheeks and down his neck. If we hadn’t kissed or made out or had sex or shared this bed, I wouldn’t be able to be here like this, watching him sleep in the early morning light. While this arrangement can’t last forever, I don’t think last night was a mistake at all.

Hinata makes a noise, sorta like a sigh, and rolls over with his back to me. I’m a little annoyed he took away my neck pillow, but I’m more interested in seeing how we fit if we spoon. I like the space above his shoulders, right under his neck, so I kiss there. I like how easily my arms drape around his middle, so I squeeze there. I like the way our legs fit like puzzle pieces, so I move closer there. I shouldn’t get used to this, but damn it, I want to. He smells so inviting, skin soft and pressed to mine, and I start kissing his neck slower, harder, lower. He makes another noise, this time, more like a moan. “That feels good.” Hinata mumbles in a low, sleepy voice.

I want to hear that moaning sound again. I sink my nails into his hips, dragging him closer, pressing my fingers into the skin there. “How about that?”

Lucky for me, he does make another sound, but this one’s even better because his breath catches, and he sounds more awake this time. “Yeah.” He turns his head, pressing his lips to mine. “We have time, don’t we? Today’s our late start day, isn’t it?” I can’t answer him when he won’t even let me breathe, so I just hum into our kiss. “Good.”

I didn’t get to do any of this with Hinata last night, so I take my time now, hands all over him without even thinking. He’s very responsive to every touch, loud and not at all shy about what comes out of his mouth, body a lot more sensitive than I expected. It’s fun to make him shout out swears and make his hips jump, but I think the most fun is making him desperate for kisses. They’re wet, sloppy, hot, needy, and sometimes, when I’m really lucky, they have my name mixed in. “Can you handle more?” I ask him, throwing my leg over his hip.

The way Hinata looks back at me is a mix of evil and holy, eyes dark and driving me crazy. “Can you?”

Sounds like a challenge, and I’m up for it! I don't exactly go easy on him, but guessing by his responses, he doesn’t mind. There’s no room for gentle or soft when I just want him, badly and fully, for reasons I don’t really know. Why is Hinata so tempting for me? Why am I so wild about him? What is it about this dumbass that keeps me coming back for more? I can’t explain it, and when we’re naked together, I don’t bother trying. Everything disappears when we’re together like this and all that matters is both of us feeling good.

That good feeling turns into something different when our bodies finally give out. It’s like a sleepy sort of satisfied, like I might fall asleep with my skin buzzing and mouth smiling. Hinata reaches back, tugging at my hair for a long, deep kiss that nearly kills me. “Don’t you need to breathe?” I ask, finally catching my breath. He rolls over, throwing his arms around my shoulders, tangling our legs together.

“Yeah.” He smirks, chest rising and falling just as hard as mine. “I forgot.”

Forgot to breathe? He’s so stupid, but that face…that face is so kissable. “You’re dumb as hell.” I kiss his forehead, and he pinches me, hard. I laugh it off.

“You’re so unpleasant.” He gets comfortable against me, and I pull him close. “Good thing you’re comfy!”

I sigh, letting my eyes shut. “We have a couple hours.”

“Then food?”

“Then food.” I let my sleepiness take over, drowsy and, unfortunately, very happy. I can't spend forever with Hinata, and I know this can’t last past our trip. I don’t want to feel so content at his side, but I do. I really do.

My unlucky feelings pile up some more when we get out of bed and step in the shower together. It’s not a sexual shower, but it’s really…intimate? Warm kisses, soft touches, helping each other soap and shampoo. It’s kinda weird because I’ve never done anything like this with someone before, but if I said I didn’t like it, I’d be a big fat liar. I didn’t know being naked with someone didn’t have to be sexual. It doesn’t take long to get used to, and that’s a problem when I know our time together is running out.

We find a place to eat down the street from the hotel. By the time we sit with our drinks, it’s a little later than I planned, but we’re still on time for today’s delivery. The wait for our food is brutal. “I should’ve eaten earlier.” Hinata mumbles with a dumb pout. “Starving.”

“You were busy with other things.”

“Yeah, but a pre-breakfast snack would’ve been good!” He grins, cheeks pink.

I roll my eyes. “It’s not breakfast at this hour. It’s lunch.”

Hinata shakes his head. “Um, no! The first meal of the day is always breakfast. It doesn’t matter what time it is.”

That makes no sense. “Yeah it does.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

I sigh. “Lunch is a noon meal. If your first meal is at noon, that’s lunch.”

“It’s still breakfast, Kageyama. It’s just…a late breakfast.” His argument is terrible, and I think he knows it. Hinata shakes his head a little. “Don’t believe me? When our waitress gives us our food, we'll see what she calls it.”

“If she calls it breakfast, I’ll let you drive.” I laugh.

Hinata grins. “If she says it’s lunch, I’ll be silent the entire drive!”

“Deal!”

We shake on it, keeping our eyes fixed on the back of the restaurant. When our waitress has our orders in hand, she takes forever walking over here. She takes even longer setting our food down in front of us, and I almost forget the bet. Hinata practically shouts a thank you, so I thank her, too, and she gives us a tiny smile with a little bow. “Of course. Enjoy your meal.” She says before walking over to another table.

For a full minute, me and Hinata just stare at each other, blinking. “How…?” I was so sure I’d win! “How’d we both lose?”

Hinata laughs, dragging his food closer. “I say we both win!” He smiles. “Dig in!”

We’re both pretty damn hungry, so we stuff our faces for a while. I only stop when I get a revised schedule email from my boss, pausing to look it over. “Booked for another two weeks.” I nod. “Heading east first.”

“What'd you say?” Hinata asks, leaning forward.

I point at my phone. “Oikawa gave me my schedule for the next couple weeks. I’m going east, then north.”

He nods, starting to smile. “That’ll be fun! Maybe you’ll get to see someplace new.”

“Maybe.” I shrug.

“I won’t get to do any traveling for a while.”

“How come?”

His smile grows. “I’ll be too busy running the shop! I have to make sure it’s all perfect.”

I’ve never heard anyone talk about a recycle shop so highly. “How do you do that?”

Hinata scoffs, like the answer should be obvious. “Lots of ways! Like, I have to have good stuff on the floor. Nice things, and things that look new. There also has to be a wide variety of stuff so people have a ton to choose from.” He leans back a little in his seat. “It has to look inviting and professional, and that’s all up to me.”

“Why’s any of that important?” I wonder out loud. “It’s just old crap.”

He frowns at me. “No it’s not! It’s part of someone’s life.” Why does he sound so serious? “When someone walks in those doors, they might not have a lot of money to spend, but they don’t want to be reminded of that. They don’t want to buy cheap looking stuff, or damaged goods. Sometimes that’s all they can afford, but the experience doesn’t have to be so…so bad.”

“Alright.”

“Yeah.” He takes a long breath out, face a little pink. “Being poor sucks, but it doesn’t always have to feel so sucky. If I can make someone without much to spend feel just a little more normal, I’ll have done my job!”

This is way more to him than a paycheck. I didn’t know that, but I do now. “I get it.”

He sorta smiles, hand on the back of his neck. “I get…I get pretty passionate about work, I know!” Hinata laughs. “I’ve just been there before, and I remember how it felt. I know it can feel embarrassing and awkward and sad, but it doesn’t have to. I’m ready to change that.” That smile only gets bigger. “With enough success, maybe we'll grow to an even bigger chain!”

“Only if you want it enough.”

Those eyes darken, like taking up a challenge he knows he can win. “I do!”

During the rest of our lunch, I remind him that we only have one job today, and offer to take him out wherever he wants. I almost add that it’ll be our last night together, but the words crumble when Hinata’s eyes light up, excited to get a real dinner with me. I don’t have any ideas, so I listen to him list off a bunch of foods he might want later. I don’t know when his voice stopped being annoying, but it’s almost comforting to me now. “Ready to get going?” I ask after the bill's paid.

“Yup! Time to rule the road.” He laughs on our way out.

“About that.” I roll my eyes. “I’m not a king. I’m not ruler of the road, or anything like the guys at Blue Castle like to say. I’m just a driver.”

Hinata blinks at me, frowning. “What?”

I sigh, leaning against the truck. “That stupid nickname. They only call me that because I’m an asshole, and nobody likes to work with me. It’s not something I like to be reminded of, or like to hear.” I shake my head. “No more king shit.”

“I know all that, Yama.” He shrugs. “They just don’t know you.”

“What do you mean?”

Hinata smiles. “People who don’t know you think you’re an asshole, but I know you, and I know they’re wrong!” He sorta laughs. “I just meant we’re gonna rule the road because we’re awesome, and we rule. That’s all!” He reaches up, opening his door. “Let's go, then, and we—” Hinata tilts his head, looking down at me with a weird pout. “You okay?”

Do I not look okay? I nod, adjusting my hat. “Yeah.” Maybe I’ve never heard someone defend me like that. Maybe he just keeps surprising me. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

He smiles, leaning down to kiss me. He pulls away too soon. “Good!”

“I’ll be up in a second.” I remind him, starting on my inspection. Hinata sits in the passenger seat, but leaves the door open. He swings his legs out, sitting sideways, and keeps his eyes on me. “What?” I ask him.

Hinata laughs. “Just watching Kageyama work hard.”

“Dumbass.” I sigh, finishing up so we can get on the road. When we get going, Hinata breaks off a piece of candy bar for me. “How many of these do you have left?” I ask around a mouthful of flavored chocolate.

He hums, licking his fingers. “Don’t know. I don’t buy candy very much back home, so it’s been a real treat!”

Somehow, I doubt that, but leave it alone. “Don’t tell me you eat healthy.”

“Well, sometimes!” Hinata laughs. “Depends on what I’m feeling like. It also depends on if I’m at home, alone, or if I’m out or with company.” He shrugs. “My sister likes to bring food over and cook with me when she visits, and it’s usually pretty healthy."

“Yeah?”

He nods. “Sometimes my friends will stop by, and we'll order something. I go out a lot on weekends, too, and that’s rarely healthy!” Hinata smirks. “I have one friend that loves fast food, and another that only ever wants grilled meat. One of my friends has a favorite seafood place, and a couple others have such a big sweet tooth!” It sounds like he has a good life back home. After I drop him off, he'll have his pick of who to spend time with, who to help him forget about me. I should be happy about that, but I’m just not. “I’ve got this one coworker who’d bring treats in every other Friday. Even before I worked there, he’d make sure I’d get some, too!”

“Why were you there if you didn’t work there?”

“I volunteered.” He explains, opening up another candy bar. “I liked the store as a customer, and I asked if I could volunteer during my high school days.” Hinata offers me the other half, but I shake my head no because it’s a gross flavor. “Suit yourself! Anyway, I was around enough that I got to be a familiar face and they eventually hired me.”

I’m sure it didn’t take long for the staff and any regular customers to adore him. He’s very annoying like that. “And now you’re the new manager.”

“Now I’m the new manager!” His grin is almost contagious.

An incoming call from Oikawa kills my mood, and I haven’t even answered yet. I sigh, accepting the call as we pull into the location parking lot. “Just arrived at the office. No sign of the others yet.”

Oikawa laughs. “You sound like a space explorer. You’ll be working with Iwa-chan and Watari today. If my records are correct, you’ll need to help them with the lifting and our special guest can assist with the checklist. How are you, by the way? Both of you.” He scoffs. “And don’t leave out anything unpleasant. I’d like the full truth.”

“Great!” Hinata answers first. “I’m happy to help any way I can.”

“Fantastic! And you, Tobio-chan? Are you surviving?”

Every conversation with Oikawa leads to me rolling my eyes. “I’m fine, Oikawa. No complaints.”

He hums. “That’s new. Hinata Shouyou, what have you done with my surly Tobio?”

Hinata laughs. “I'd love to take credit, but it’s all Kageyama.” He looks over, meeting my eyes with a warm smile. “He’s not so bad!”

Again, Oikawa hums. “I’m intrigued.”

A turquoise pickup pulls up next to us. It must be the other movers. “Iwaizumi and Watari are here. Gotta go.” I move to end the call.

“Real convenient. Keep up the good attitude, and don’t let me hear from you!” Oikawa says like a song before hanging up first. At least he didn’t tell me to play nice, like if I’m some stupid kid. That’s the last thing I wanna hear from my boss right before work. A sudden squeeze of my shoulder pulls my attention next to me, at a smiling Hinata.

“Come on. Lots of work to be done!” He reminds me. I nod, walking out of my truck with him at my side.

Iwaizumi waves when he gets out of the driver’s seat. “Hey, Kageyama. Hinata.”

“Good afternoon, boss man!” Hinata grins.

Watari joins us, phone in hand. “So, Oikawa just sent me a message.” He looks up, sparing us a quick nod. “Hi, guys. Oikawa says that these clients are in a hurry, so try to pick up the pace but don’t rush.” He smirks. “No injuries or broken goods, then.”

“Got it. Let’s get moving. No time to waste.” I nod.

Iwaizumi makes small talk with Hinata on our way in, the office door propped open with a wedge of wood. A tall, dark-haired man is sweeping the floor, humming a song I don’t know, when we walk in. Iwaizumi holds his arm out to stop us at the entryway. “Blue Castle movers here.” He announces. The tall guy stands up straighter, smirking at us.

“Yes, you’re here! Hello.” He steps closer, holding his hand out. “Kuroo Tetsurou. Lovely to meet you fine fellas.” His handshake is strong. “My colleague is in the back. Kozume Kenma.”

Watari clears his throat. “Right. Well, I understand you’re ready to get going right away.”

Kuroo sighs. “No, no.” He waves his hand. “There’s no hurry! That was just Kenma wanting to get out of here fast. There’s no reason to rush anything, really.”

“Don’t tell them that.” A long-haired man mumbles, dragging his feet into the room, hands in his pockets. His hair is mostly tied in a knot, but some of the dark strands fall around his face. His eyes are on the floor, but this doesn’t stop Hinata from waving at him.

“You must be Kozume Kenma!” He holds his hand out, but Kozume just stares at it.

Kuroo nudges him. “It won’t bite, kitten.”

Kozume gives Kuroo a dirty look, but shakes Hinata’s hand. “Hi.”

“I’m Hinata Shouyou!” He introduces himself, then the rest of us, still beaming. “I’m not moving anything today, so I hope you don’t mind me hanging out.” Hinata points down. “Maybe we can talk about where you got those shoes! They’re super awesome, but aren’t they super rare? How’d you get your hands on a pair?”

Kozume blinks, no longer frowning. Kuroo laughs. “You speak his language!” He looks over to the rest of us. “Shall we get moving, gentlemen?”

During the move, Hinata and his new best friend go from sitting in a corner to sitting on a desk we drag in, then to sitting in the office chairs we unpack. I only catch bits of their conversations in passing, like that Kozume doesn’t actually sell real estate but does all of the computer and tech work while Kuroo works with the people. I also gather that he thinks Kuroo's dumb for wanting to start his own branch, apart from Yaku, but thinks he’s smart for knowing what he wants. I hear Hinata call him Kenma, and Kozume call him Shouyou, and it catches me off guard enough that my hand slips on a heavy box. “You feeling alright?” Iwaizumi asks, picking up the slack.

“Yeah, why?” I ask, taking more of the weight back.

He shrugs. “Nothing, I guess.”

Later, I hear Hinata laughing at something, staring at Kozume’s phone with him. Iwaizumi clears his throat, and I remember to set the file cabinet down, but he’s still looking at me. What is it now? “What?” I ask him.

Iwaizumi laughs, looking over at the two. “You sure you’re feeling well?”

“Yes! Why do you keep asking that?”

“I asked twice.” He smirks. “And because you’re…I don’t know. Something’s different. You don’t seem like the usual king of the road.”

I roll my eyes, but then I frown, confused by what he’s saying. “How?”

He shrugs. “I told you, I don’t know.” He glances over at Hinata and Kozume again. “Maybe all you needed was a partner all along.”

“He’s not my partner.”

Iwaizumi smirks. “You sure?”

“Sorry to break up the party, folks.” Watari sets a stack of boxes down near us. “But there’s still work to be done. Don’t make me tell Oikawa.”

This is only a threat to me, and Iwaizumi knows it. “If you do call him, tell him I feel like noodles tonight.” This doesn’t amuse Watari, but me and Iwaizumi laugh anyway, going back to work until the job is done. Kuroo makes a big check mark on the last item on the list, smiling when he hands me the clipboard.

“All set! Thank you kindly for your services.” He looks around, waving Kozume over from the other room. “Time to go, Kenma. Say goodbye.”

Kozume waves. “See you, Shouyou. Thanks for the help, guys.” He heads back to where he’d been, where he left his sweatshirt, I think. Kuroo smiles, but doesn’t say anything more about his colleague.

Watari and Hinata get in the trucks first, and Iwaizumi squeezes my shoulder while I’m going through my inspection. “Kageyama, what’s your plan?”

“For what?”

“Dropping Hinata off.” Iwaizumi follows me around the other side. “What’s the plan?”

There’s no need for him to be asking. I’m not even sure what he’s getting at, but it’s pretty simple. “I drop off his cargo and he goes with it.”

“That’s it?”

I sigh. “What else am I supposed to do?”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “Whatever you want. I’m just asking.”

“Yeah, well, there’s no other option.” I adjust my hat. “He’s only here because I have his stuff. I’m getting paid to drop him off at the next stop. That’s it.” It sucks and I don’t like thinking about it, but it is what it is. I knew better than to get attached to Hinata, and now it’s only making it harder to let him go. Iwaizumi doesn’t have to remind me like I’ve suddenly forgotten. “That’s the end of it.”

“If you say so.” Iwaizumi nods, taking a few steps backwards. “Good luck.”

“With what?”

He answers over his shoulder. “Your plan.” Then he’s off in his own truck, probably to get a drink with Watari before going home to his stupid husband that loves him more than anything, where they’ll have noodles for dinner. Whatever.

In the cab, Hinata can’t seem to sit still. I don’t know what the hell his problem is, so I ask. “What the hell's your problem?”

He sighs, tugging at his hair. “I just…ugh!” He squints, balling his hands into fists.

I’ve never seen him like this. That one time he was pissed at me was kinda the same, but at least then, he was talking. I place my hand on his cheek, running my thumb across. His eyes open, big and…sad? “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve never been in charge before!” Hinata pouts. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know how Suga thought he could put me in charge. There are other people a lot more qualified, and other people who could do this better.” He sighs. “I have no idea how to do any of this, Tobio.” Hearing his voice sound so small, so shaky, isn’t right. I don’t like it.

“You know what you’re doing.” I nod. “You haven’t had the title, but you’ve been working there since before you were on the payroll. This is your life.”

Hinata exhales. “But what if I screw up? What if I can’t do it all?”

I’m not sure where the cocky Hinata I know is, but I’m not a fan of this worried one. His nervous eyes, unsteady hands, make my stomach upset. He’s scared and I hate it. I feel like there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to take his fears away, and that itself scares the shit out of me. “You’re telling me that there’s stuff you can’t do, even if you put your mind to it?” I shake my head. “This is coming from the guy who forced his way into my truck, on this trip, and into the role of a mover? The same one who showed up actual professional movers?” The worry starts to fade from Hinata’s eyes, slowly but surely, and his normal excited flush starts to come back to his cheeks. “You’ll be fine. Even if you suck at first, you’ll figure it out and you’ll be awesome.” I wait for him to smile, even a little bit, before gently kissing him. Chapped lips, candy taste, warm breath. Damn, I’m gonna miss this.

“That’s a compliment, right?” Hinata lightly laughs.

“Obviously.”

He nods, giving me a quick kiss. “Thanks. I actually feel a little better. I just wish I knew that things would work out right.”

There's no way I can give him any kind of guarantee, or anything, but if I can help make him feel a little better while I’m still around, I’ll do it. “We’ve got time before we need to be at the hotel. Wanna do something?”

Hinata smiles, this time much bigger and brighter. “What do you have in mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The adventure continues in the next update, picking right up where we’re leaving off. Featuring: wheels, teacups and clothes on loan~


	12. With

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is too fluffy OMG halp

If I can’t get to see Hinata happy for the rest of time, I’ll do what I can to see him smile in the time we have left. I’ve found an empty lot closer to our hotel, and I’m already out and headed for the trailer. Hinata runs after me, quickly catching up. “What’re we doing here?” He asks while I push the door up. His cargo is still nice and neat, bunched up in the corner, alongside his bike. He blinks into the trailer, scanning it all.

“You want your new job to go well, right?” I ask, stepping up into the cargo space. “Then let’s see what you’ll be working with.”

Hinata joins me, looking over the boxes. “What do you mean?”

I take my box cutter from my pocket, sliding the blade up. “Let’s open some.”

“I’m not supposed to.” He smiles. “But…you have lots of tape, right?”

I nod and hand him the knife. “Yup.”

He grins, then gives a nod. “Then let’s do this!”

The box Hinata picks to open first is the biggest one. I thought it might be filled with sofa cushions, or something, but it’s packed with random toys. The smell of warm plastic and disinfectant flies out of the box, and doesn’t seem to bother him at all. It takes me a second to get used to, and by that time, he’s already pulled out a pair of roller skates, eyes wide. “Can you skate?” I ask, pulling an old skateboard out.

“No, but how hard can it be?”

With the lot empty, it gives me space to try and remember how to balance on a skateboard, and gives Hinata room to fall on his ass as much as he pleases. “Don’t hurt yourself, idiot!” I yell, chasing after him while struggling to stay balanced on my board.

“Why is this so much harder than it looks?” He laughs, even though he falls again.

“There’s another skateboard. You want it?”

He falls again before answering. “Yeah, that’d be great!”

I help him out of the skates and exchange them for a skateboard. It’s a little more damaged than the one I’m using, scuffed and chipped, but Hinata seems happy to have it. At least with this, he stops eating asphalt. “Found your balance?” I ask, passing by.

“Watch this!” He flips his board, rolling right past me. “I’ll race you!”

It’s not hard to catch up with him, but we're supposed to be playing by the same rules. “You're cheating!” I yell after him. He just laughs.

When we go back to the giant toy box, Hinata pulls out a plastic ring that makes a sort of rattling sound when he moves it. “Have you ever hula hooped?” He asks, already on his way back out of the trailer.

“Have I ever what?” I follow him.

He laughs. “Hula hooped! Watch.” Hinata holds the hoop around himself, resting it on his hips. Then, he lets go, and keeps the hoop spinning around himself just by sorta swaying. “You’ve seriously never had one of these?”

I shake my head, standing close but not close enough to get hit. “No.”

“You missed out! Look.” He moves the hoop to around his wrist, keeping it spinning while barely moving. Then he puts it at the back of his neck, moving his head so that it circles his neck over and over again. I start to laugh, and he does, too. “What?”

“You look so stupid!”

Hinata pulls his arms through the hoop, letting it slide back down to his hips. “Shut up! You’re just jealous.”

Right. “What’s the point of that thing, anyway?”

“It’s fun!” He steps out of the ring and hands it over. “Try it.”

How? I don’t know how he managed to keep it from falling, but admitting I probably won’t be able to do it is like letting him win. “Fine.” I set it around my waist, entirely unprepared for hula hooping. When I try to move, it starts to slip away, and my movements don’t keep it up like Hinata could at all. He laughs, and I try again. “Shut up! I’ve never done this before.” I get the hoop to circle around a couple times, but it ends up around my feet. Hinata nudges me.

“Like this.” He moves his hips, like in a circle. His movements aren’t as big as I expect, and I don’t know how such small shifts can keep the stupid hoop up. I try to copy him, but it makes him smile. “I know you know how to move those hips!” He puts his hands on my waist, guiding me to the right form. His hands are warm, even through my clothes. “Yeah, that’s it! Try again. Go ahead.” He motions at the plastic ring on the ground. Again, I let it sit at my hips, pretty sure it’ll just fall back to the pavement. Hinata gives me a thumbs up, though, and that dumb smile of his. “You got this!” I know I don’t, but it’s nice to hear that he thinks I do. I try to copy the moves he showed, and I try to remember how it felt to have his hands move me. Even though I fail more than once, I manage to keep the hoop up a couple times pretty well, making him cheer me on like I’ve done something great.

I’m allowed to open another box, and the one I pick has old appliances. There’s a weird toaster for sandwiches, and a machine that’s supposed to make snow cones. I think that’s a blender with different parts? Near the bottom of the box, there’s a clunky old radio that looks like it might still work. “Do you have batteries?” I ask, pulling the heavy thing out.

“Why’s that in there?”

I shrug. “Don’t know, but batteries?”

Somewhere, he finds some for me that fit. I set it down in the trailer, turning the knob that’s supposed to find a station and getting nothing. Not even static! Hinata hums, pouting. “Those batteries are new! They should be working fine. What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know.” I keep scanning for any sounds, any sign that there’s a station nearby.

“Maybe we’re not in a good place.”

I’m not too familiar with this area, but he might be right. I hand him my truck keys. “Go see if the radio’s working in my truck.”

He nods, jumping out of the trailer. “Be right back!”

While he’s doing that, I turn the knob all the way to one side to start again. Maybe there’s an off switch that I missed? “What’s the issue?” I mutter, looking all over the radio. Hinata climbs back up, holding my keys out. “Anything?” I pocket them.

He nods. “Yeah! A bunch of stations, crystal clear.”

“What the hell?”

With a shrug, he takes a seat next to me. “Dunno. Hey, what’s this one do?” Hinata turns a different knob, a loud burst of static blowing our ears out. He yelps, turning it the other way. “I think I found the volume!” He rubs his ears.

“You think?” I shove him back, scanning through the stations again. This time, some of them almost sound like music. I guess maybe the volume was turned too low to hear much, but that still doesn’t fix the sucky reception. “This thing sucks.” I sigh, just about ready to give up.

Hinata scoots closer. “Is it broken? If it’s broken, I’ll have to mark it as unsellable.”

His little frown bothers me. I can’t believe I feel bad because he’s sad over a broken radio. “Maybe.” I poke at the metal thing in the corner, but it doesn’t do anything. I guess it’s not a button? I think it might be hardware, but why does it move from one angle? “What the—?” I pull the metal thing out, extending it up to the sky.

“The antenna!” Hinata fiddles with the volume and stations, finding different songs that come through perfectly. “You fixed it!” He holds his hand up for a high-five.

I hit his palm with mine, then squeeze his hand a little. “You’re welcome.”

Hinata goes back into the toy box, finding a chess set and a dartboard. He seems interested in playing chess, but decides he wants to play darts instead. We lean the board against some boxes, over on one end of the trailer. He says it’s too high, but when I move it, he says it’s too low, so then I tell him to do it himself if he’s such an expert. He takes a while adjusting the board, and as soon as he steps back, I throw one of my darts at the center. Hinata blinks, first at the board, then at me. “Be careful with those!” He walks over, swiping the rest of the darts from me.

“I have great aim!” I remind him, pointing at my bullseye.

He rolls his eyes. “Whatever!”

“Winner picks where we eat dinner tonight.” I blurt before I can think about my words.

“You’re on!” He smirks at his own bullseye. “I’m thinking barbecue.”

We'll see about that! I send another dart flying to the center circle, smirking back. “Or ramen.”

Hinata gives me a run for my money, aim a lot steadier than I’d expect from a guy who trips over his own feet. We have to play a best of five series to settle the bet, and by that time, we’re both actually hungry. He leaves to grab some candy from the cab, and I open up another box in the meantime. This one’s filled with books, yellow with age. I flip through the one on top, noticing not every page is full. What kinda book is this? “A collection of poems.” The smaller title on the front says it’s a poetry book. “Probably all boring.” I turn it over, skimming over the back.

“Whatcha got, there?” Hinata pops back into the trailer, shirt pulled in a bowl shape to hold all the candy bars.

I show him the cover, sitting with him by his bike. “Poems.”

He unwraps a bar, breaking a piece off. “Read me one.” He says with a mouthful of candy.

“Does it matter which one?” I ask, wondering if they’re supposed to be read in order. Hinata shakes his head, though, and feeds me the next bite of flavored chocolate before kissing my cheek. “Okay, I’ll start from the beginning.” I read a couple out loud. One’s about nature, or something, and another talks about typical household crap like washing dishes and folding napkins. Another makes him laugh because it repeats the word ‘but’ in the same line, and I move a little closer to him to hear the sound better. “You read some.” I hand the book over.

“Okay!” Hinata leans against me, flipping to a random page. He gets to a weird word, repeating it like that’ll make it easier to understand. “Brazen. What’s brazen mean?”

“Is that a way to cook something?”

“Brazen? I thought it was, like…I don’t know.” He laughs. “A crime?”

Whatever that word means, it’ll probably be in a dictionary. I look through the book box to find one, holding it up. “We can look it up.” I start to look for it, but realize I don’t know how to spell it. “How’s that spelled?”

“Um, let me check.” Hinata spells it for me, leaning close.  
“’Unrestrained by convention or propriety.’ What’s propriety?”  
He shrugs. “What does ‘unrestrained by convention’ mean?”

“Dunno.” I hold the book up. “Maybe we can find out.”

When reading the dictionary gets boring, Hinata opens another box up. This one is even more boring than the book one because it’s filled with clothes. Hinata seems thrilled and dives right in. His hands sift through the different folds of fabric, reaching in and wrinkling everything he touches. “There’s so much in here! I bet I could make an entire wardrobe with all this.” He pulls out something shiny and colorful but pale. “Wow, how awesome is this?” Hinata slips the jacket on, but struggles with the zipper. “Oh no, is this broken, too?”

It looks like he doesn’t even have it on straight. I stand in front of him, fixing the zipper and sliding it closed. “There. It’s not broken, dumbass.”

He shoves past me, digging through the clothes again. “Let’s see what we can find for you!”

“I’m not wearing a strange person’s shit.” I shake my head.

Hinata pulls out a clear zipped bag, frowning at me. “There’s nothing wrong with anything in this box.” He probably grew up with a secondhand closet, and I somehow forgot that. “Not only is it all washed, the people who donated it all gave it away with someone else in mind. They wanted someone to wear their old things because they didn’t have a use for them anymore. Don’t insult the kindness of strangers, Stupid-yama.” Without another word, he pulls a tie from the plastic bag and holds it out to me. “It matches your eyes.”

I do feel a little bad for offending him, but it’s not like I said anything mean. Not about him, anyway, but whatever. “I guess.” I loop the silky material around the back of my neck and pause. “Now what?”

“Umm…” Hinata takes his phone from his pocket. “Let me see.”

“You don’t know how to tie a tie?”

He sticks his tongue out at me. “Neither do you! Okay, this says to cross one side on top of the other, and then whichever one is on top, twirl it under and then on top again.”

None of that makes sense, so I just blink. “What?”

His short laugh makes me feel warm inside. “I’ll show you.” He explains the garbage steps again, demonstrating with my tie. “Then you pull it under from the top and through the little loop thing, and…well, it’s not great, but you get the idea!” Hinata laughs and tries to make the knot look better, but it’s crooked and too loose.

“I’ll fix it.” I give him a quick kiss. “Open another one, and nothing boring this time.” I try my hand at tying the tie.

“Okay, this one!” He cuts a small box open, pulling something bubble wrapped out.

I walk over, not sure what it is. “What is that?”

Hinata unwraps it, grinning. “A teapot! It has matching cups!” He motions towards the open side of the trailer. “Go sit! We’ll have a tea party for two.”

With how fast he’s unwrapping two cups, I think he’s serious. “Really?”

He nods. “Yes! We’re gonna be fancy.”

“Right.” I doubt that but do as I’m told because I have nothing better to do but make him smile. Hinata sets the pot between us, placing a delicate little teacup in front of me and another in front of him. He’s really gentle with every item, careful and using light touches.

“Would you like some tea?” Hinata lifts the pot and bows forward.

“Hot tea isn't my thing.” I shrug, pushing the cup towards him anyway. “Maybe some milk?”

He smiles and pretends to pour. “Milk it is!” When my cup is apparently full, he starts to pour into his own. “And tea for me.” After setting the pot down, he holds up his tiny cup. “Cheers!” We bring the cups together, barely touching so we don’t ruin anything. “Do people cheers with tea? Or teacups?” He asks before pretending to sip.

I wait to pretend swallowing my drink before I answer. “No idea.”

He smiles at me again, color in his face and sparkles in his eyes. “You know what sounds good for dinner? Steak. I’m getting really hungry.”

“We can probably find a place.”

“I’m not really dressed for a steakhouse, but it sounds good to my stomach.” He laughs.

All I have are work clothes, but I have more options if we count what’s in the boxes. “Unless you borrow something.” I drink more fake milk, flicking my tie. “But I’m not wearing this. That’s way too fancy, I think.”

Hinata hums, finishing his fake tea. “I’m sure we can find something!”

We manage to find a button-up shirt for him and a thin jumper for me, deciding jeans will work fine at the restaurant we picked. We put everything else back in the right boxes and tape them up like we never broke into them. Our hotel is down the road, so we check in, one bed again, and walk to the steakhouse. It’s kinda small, but everyone seated is chatting away, laughing and having what sounds like a good time. The food smells so good, and we’ve barely been seated. “I’m starving.” I sigh, annoyed that my stomach is growling when food will be on the way soon.

“Me, too.” Hinata orders us each a beer to go with our meal. “This place is nice! Not too busy, not too big. I like it.” He nods, taking in the sorta dim room.

“Yeah, it’s nice.” I agree. “I hope they’re fast.”

This makes him laugh, and I wish I’d joked on purpose. “Thanks, by the way.”

“For what?” I ask.

Hinata smiles. “Making me feel better. Playing around in the truck…well, it cheered me up, and now, I’m not really worried about work. So.” I don’t miss the pink that rises to his cheeks. “Thank you for that.”

I’d like to kiss him right here, right now. “Well, yeah. You shouldn’t worry for nothing.”

“I’ll try.” He laughs.

Over dinner, we talk about first impressions and how Hinata felt like I was trying to scare him at first but he didn’t feel intimidated by me anyway. I tell him that I almost quit instead of letting him join me on the drive, and never knew someone who talked so much. He says he feels bad for turning the alarm off that one morning, and for not trying to understand me. It makes sense now, though. People think I’m an asshole and act accordingly, so I get it. It does make me feel good that he doesn’t think of me that way anymore. “Still think I’m a jerk?” I smirk, knowing the answer is somewhere between yes and no.

“Yup.” He smiles. “Still think I’m annoying?”

I nod. “Yep.”

We agree to get dessert, but I don’t pay for it with the company card. “I’m so glad that steak wasn’t huge! Room for sweets.” Hinata licks his lips. “Maybe I should’ve gotten two desserts? Is there time to add one on?”

“If you want.” I shrug.

He bounces in his seat, grinning. “Wanna share it with me?”

It doesn’t even matter what he orders. I nod. “Yeah, we can do that.”

Hinata leans forward, still happy all the way to his eyes. “Good. Sharing is caring.”

I know he’s probably just being dumb, but I like to think he really does care about me. He wants me to enjoy my life how I want when most people criticize me for not living like them. He doesn’t like when I’m upset or angry, and he makes sure I’m fed. He kisses me like he likes me, and holds my hand with our fingers laced together. Hinata must care about me. He gives me the first bite of his dessert.

When we get to the hotel room, we both undress. Hinata carefully folds our shirts and wraps them in a plastic bag, setting them in his backpack so he can wash them and put them up for sale. The rest of our clothes come off just for fun, wrinkled on the floor. In the dark room, I can’t see Hinata that well, but I can feel him just fine. I slowly run my fingers over every inch of him, pressing my lips to his with every touch. Sometimes he lets out a little laugh, sometimes he hums or nuzzles his nose to mine. My heart rattles around my ribcage when he covers my hands with his, still roaming his body. He pulls me to the bed, arms around me tight. This strong feeling of completely letting go battles with an even stronger feeling of desperately holding on, of wanting to make every second with Hinata last a minute. How do I get enough of him when I know he isn’t mine? How do I make every moment count when the clock just keeps ticking? He kisses me like someone with nothing to lose, like he isn’t afraid to gamble with his feelings. It’s a little brave and a lot stupid, but it makes me kiss harder, deeper, so maybe I’m the stupid one. I don’t even care.

The night stretches on forever as we take our time. The other times we’ve fucked weren’t like this. Those times were all chasing pleasure, a little rough and wild. This is softer, more intense, more emotional. It's probably our last time, so it matters more. I bury my face at the back of Hinata’s neck, wet kisses there, memorizing the scent of his skin. I take in every sound he makes, loving how my name sounds when he gasps. I let him grip my hand in his, clawing the sheets with it. Everything is slow, easy, good. So, so good. “What’re you…?” I ask when he twists to look back at me, wondering why he’s now moving less and staring. Those eyes have me hypnotized.

“Kiss me, Tobio.” He tugs at my hair, pulling my face down to his.

I can’t say no because I don’t want to, so I give him what he wants. Lucky for me, it’s also what I want. I want every part, every experience, of Hinata, and he gives me that and more. His scent and sounds, the way he looks and feels and tastes, are all burned into my brain by the time our bodies can’t hold on any longer. I can’t pull away from him, and I almost blurt out something stupid, but sleep has other plans for me. Lazy kisses, whispered words, heavy eyelids, no space between us. When I wake up, it’ll be tomorrow and I hate what tomorrow means. I hate that this can’t be forever, and for once, I hate that I have to drive somewhere when the sun comes back up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry: don’t get too comfortable in Fluffland. Do not. It’s for the plot, and I swear, I don’t write unhappy endings! I just gotta jam all this character growth in, y'know? Next update: hands, friends and stupidity


	13. Rise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’M SORRY IN ADVANCE

This day has been awful. Hinata wanted to kiss and cuddle first thing in the morning, but I pretended to be asleep and took the blanket. When it was time to shower, he suggested we go together, but I just told him to hurry up so I could go over my next schedule and showered when he was done. He wanted pizza for breakfast, but I couldn’t stomach much, so we ended up with leftovers that he ate in the cab. I’m tired and feel sick and don’t want this day to be happening. If I could go back and live yesterday over and over, I would, but I can’t. I have to sit here in uncomfortable quiet, pretending I feel nothing for the man sitting next to me, driving him away from the rest of my life when all I want is to hold him and not let go. “You said you have a room at your sister’s place?” He asks, licking his fingers clean of pizza grease.

“Yeah.”

He hums. “So is that a house, or a flat?”

Maybe he’s just talking to avoid the inevitable. Maybe he’s actually interested? I don’t know. “It’s a big flat in the city. She’s a chef.”

“That’s really cool! What kind?”

“Fancy stuff, like tiny portions and pretty plates and all that.”

He nods, closing the empty box. “Nice! Did you ever have your own place?”

There was never a need. I went on the road right after high school, and by that time, Miwa had her flat and my parents were on their way to the house they live in now. “No. I don’t really need one. I moved out and Miwa offered to keep some of my stuff with her when our parents moved.”

“Have you ever wanted one, though?”

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“I’ve got a little house myself!” Hinata smiles. “Took some savings, but it’s small and the owner gave me a good deal because I used to mow her lawn when I was a kid. It has everything I need, so I love it!” He mentions his favorite things about it, like the clawfoot tub and the extra wide fridge and the parking space under the blossom tree. “You know what I miss the most? Like, more than all of that?”

He’s gonna say something cute or funny and I’m gonna feel that ugly stab of sad, I just know it. “What?”

“I miss my bed.” He grins. “It’s so big and comfy! Not that the beds we’ve been sleeping on are all bad, but I just miss my stuff.” Hinata laughs. “Do you like softer or firmer mattresses? Because mine is somewhere in between, but the sheets are real soft, so even if you don’t like it, there are good things about it anyway.” My heart fucking shatters. He wants me to be in his house, in his bed, in his life. I want those things, too, but I don’t know how. My job is out here, on the road. I can’t be with him in any useful way. The soonest I could see him again is like, a month away. How could a relationship last that way? If I quit my job, I’ll have nothing. I’ve never known another life, and giving up everything for Hinata would just leave us struggling. I might even hold it against him, and resenting him isn’t something I’d ever want to do. There’s no way we can make this work, no way I can see, and that kills me. I want to be in his life, but mine doesn’t allow for that. “Tobio?”

I haven’t said anything in response. I ease my grip on the wheel. “I’m not picky about beds.”

“I guess someone who sleeps in a truck wouldn’t be!” Hinata laughs. “You know I don’t have any clocks in my house?”

“Seriously?”

He nods. “Not a single one!”

He’s probably always running late on his bike. “How do you know what time it is?”

“Stupid, that’s what phones are for.” He smirks. “And I usually wake up right on time. My body knows when I start work.” He just got a new job, and he’s so excited about it. He can’t be taking time off, or even quit, to go on the road with me. As important as my work is to me, his is to him. I’d never ask him to give that up or change it for me, even if it meant staying together. I’ve never had a partner, never had anyone stay for long in that passenger seat. Hinata’s not only made himself comfortable in my truck, he’s made me want to keep him there. Driving is more fun now, even if he never shuts up and complains about my music and tries to give me directions. How do I continue the job I live for when it won’t be the same without him? What am I supposed to do now that my life won’t be the same again? “Tobio.”

Did I miss something he said? I glance over. “What?”

“Are you okay? You’re being weird today.”

No, I’m not okay. Something inside is breaking and I can’t fix it. “I’m not weird.” I sigh, the music interrupted by an incoming call. “Ugh, Oikawa. Gotta take this.” I gulp down the awful lump in my throat before answering. “On my way.”

“I don’t think I have to give you a rundown of today's drop off, do I?” Oikawa scoffs. “One thing, though.”

“What is it?”

“You’re off the hook today." Oikawa says. “No checklist, no moving. Just sit back and don’t break anything!”

I roll my eyes. “I’ve never broken anything!”

He laughs. “Relax, Tobio-chan. You pretty much have the day off. Don’t you want to say thank you?”

“Who am I thanking?”

Oikawa scoffs again. “You could thank me! I talked to that delightful Sugawara, and he offered to have his own movers complete the job. I agreed so you could enjoy the afternoon with your little stowaway. You’re welcome!” He says like a song.

“I’m not little!” Hinata huffs.

“Oh, right. Hello, little Shouyou! You’re welcome, too.”

Hinata points to a building up ahead. “Oh, there it is! That’s where I’ll work, Tobio! See it?” He’s so excited, he’s leaning far enough to pull on his seatbelt. A little flush is tinting his cheeks, smile wrinkling the corner of his eyes. “We’re almost there.”

I nod and Oikawa sighs. “Okay, be good, boys! It was a pleasure to serve you, Hinata Shouyou. Tell that refreshing Suga I said hello!”

“Okay, bye-bye, Oikawa!” Hinata ends the call for me, then lowers the music volume. “Can you believe we're almost there? I feel like I’ve been gone so long, and it’s only been a week, or something.” He sorta laughs. “Not that I didn’t have fun on our trip, or anything, but there’s nothing like being back home!” He turns back to the window, pointing out different things. There’s the place he lost a super ball, the place he found a flower growing in the sidewalk, the place he gets his hair cut, some store that gives him free cookies when he drops packages off for them at the post office. I don’t know how he fits in so many words in such a short amount of time, but he does just that. Never thought I’d say it, but I’m going to miss hearing his voice go on and on about anything and everything with more enthusiasm than necessary. I’m going to miss hearing him laugh after saying something stupid, and I’m really gonna miss debating with him over things that don’t matter. I’ll miss the sound of him snoring first thing in the morning, too, which I hate to admit but know is true. “We’re finally here!” Hinata cheers, turning his ball cap backwards. “Hurry up so you can meet my coworkers and see the place. Let’s go!” He hops out of the truck, slinging his backpack over one shoulder and almost tripping on the way down.

Sighing, I follow him. I take a couple deep breaths along the way, letting him pull me to the front door of the shop. “Do we go inside?” I ask when he stops outside the entrance.

Hinata fumbles around the front pocket of his bag. “Duh! Let me find my keys.”

Before he can, two guys open it for us from the inside, smiling and shaking their heads. “It’s unlocked, you know.” The one with light hair says.

“You don’t need your keys yet.” The one with short hair laughs.

Of course, Hinata has to be cute and pouts. “But I wanted to use my boss key!”

The short-haired one smiles. “You can later, when we lock up.” He holds his hand out to me. “Hey, you can call me Narita.”

“Kinoshita.” The other one shakes my hand, too.

“I’m Kageyama Tobio.”

Kinoshita arches an eyebrow. “We know.”

Narita sorta nudges him. “Anyway, we'll be doing the moving today. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“That’ll be new.” I’m not used to doing nothing, so it’s kinda weird.

Narita shrugs. “Rest is important, right? It’s good for the body to do nothing sometimes.”

Kinoshita nods. “Yeah, so you can leave it to us for the day.”

“There’s so much, it’ll be amazing!” Hinata bounces on his feet. “Can I go show them? You can go meet the others if you want.” I see no harm in letting him start this process since he knows where the cargo is, and knows his way around my truck. I hand over my keys, not really ready to meet anyone and more ready to forget today is happening. “Sweet! I’ll be back. Let’s go, guys!” Hinata drags the two with him, leaving me to stand here alone.

The place actually doesn’t look too bad. Flat boxes and unbuilt shelves are bunched up here and there, some plastic and random bits of cardboard scattered around, but the floor is mostly clean. The tiles are almost all speckled beige, but a handful are blue or green, no rhyme or reason to where they’re placed. I don’t know why, but this reminds me of Hinata. I guess I feel like if he designed a floor, this is how he’d do it. I bet he’d have picked these lights out, too, a more natural glow to them instead of the ugly color the weird buzzing ones give off. He loves the sun, and he once said everything is prettier under sunlight.

A quiet tune's coming in from somewhere near the back, so I slowly follow it. It sounds like a radio might be on, but someone’s singing over it while someone else laughs. This all comes into view when I step into the backroom, built like a small warehouse with piles of crap all over the place, covering tables, shelves and the floor. The one singing is a small man with dark fluffy hair, using a pen as a microphone and a clipboard as a tambourine. The one laughing is another man with dark hair, sitting on a table with a beat up notebook on his lap. I can see someone else sitting near a stack of junk, but all I can see is wide shoulders and a messy bun. Hinata did say I could meet these people, but it feels…weird to do it without him. I don’t know what to say, but the longer I stand here not knowing what to say, the weirder this whole thing gets. I clear my throat, taking another step in the room. When all three look at me, I wave, not sure what else to do. They can see the logo on my clothes, right? I don’t look totally of place, I don’t think. “Hi. I’m with Blue Castle, dropping off your cargo.”

The short one pretty much runs over to me, big eyes wide and shining. “Oh, so you’re Kageyama, the king of the road.” He stands a little too close, blinking at me. “I heard you live out there, driving all the time and make your own rules.”

I’m not sure what he’s heard, but I sorta shrug. “I just do my job how I think it needs to be done.”

He breaks out in a grin, clapping me on the back. “That’s so awesome! You’re like a cowboy in a truck, my man. Sounds like the life!”

Again, I don’t know what he’s talking about, but the other man hops off the table and shakes his head with a smile. “Noya, give him some breathing room.” He waves. “Sorry. We've heard a lot about you, that’s all.” How? “Hinata had plenty to say about you.” Oh.

The one on the floor stands, surprisingly taller than all of us and heavier, too, I’m sure. “Good stuff, though! Don’t worry.” He nods.

It’s weird that they know anything about me and I know nothing about them. “Okay.” I nod.

“Geez, where are our manners? I’m Sawamura Daichi. Daichi's fine, though.” Daichi walks over to shake my hand, smile polite but not out of place. He doesn’t look delicate in any way, but there’s a gentleness to him I can’t explain.

The short one hits my back again. “I’m Noya! Nice to finally meet the man of the manager's stories.”

“And you can call me Asahi.” The big one smiles. “Good to meet you.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about you guys, too.” Mostly just that they exist but I don’t know what else to say. “You all work here, in this new store?”

Daichi laughs. “Well, I own both, so…sort of? I’m trying to help out where I can to get this location up and running as soon as possible.” He gestures around us. “As you can see, there was too much to sell in just one shop, and accessibility sometimes means expanding.”

I nod, taking in the boxes and clipboards. “So you’re doing inventory.”

“That’s right!” Noya nods. “I’ll be working in this shop with Hinata. I work the floor.”

“I work the register at the original location.” Asahi takes his seat again, adjusting his glasses. “All hands on deck today, though.”

Daichi sits back on the table, setting his notebook aside. “So how was the trip?” I’d rather not talk about it, actually. If I’m rude, they might tell on me and Oikawa will never let me hear the end of it, but maybe I can be vague.

“Hopefully Hinata wasn’t too much to handle.” Asahi laughs.

I shrug. “Just doing my job, I guess.”

If their faces are anything to go by, this isn’t the answer they’re expecting. They just blink at me, not saying anything at first. Noya cocks his head a little, stepping in my space again. “Just your job. Do you always transport people with your cargo?”

“No, I mean…well, it was part of my work, I guess.” I feel like I said something wrong but I’ve hardly said anything at all! “Having him along for the ride was part of the job.”

Noya frowns. “Didn’t you get along? I thought…I thought you two got to know each other.”

“It was only a week or so.” Asahi points out.

“I’m just asking.” Noya’s face relaxes a little. “Sounded like Hinata had a lot more fun than you did.”

This is going all wrong. Why did Hinata think I could do this on my own? He’s the people person, not me! “I didn’t say it wasn’t fun, or we never talked. We did talk, and it wasn’t bad. We both made it in one piece, didn’t we?”

Daichi smiles, but it doesn’t seem happy. “You certainly did. Thanks for taking care of him.”

“We appreciate it.” Asahi adds.

I feel really awkward being in here with six eyes on only me, so I pretend to check my phone. “Right. Well, I better see that the move is going smoothly.” I put it back in my pocket, turning to leave. “Nice to meet all of you.”

Daichi waves. “And you.”

My feet can’t take me out of there fast enough. I already feel shitty about this day, and those guys somehow made me feel even worse about it. I’m trying not to let my feelings get in the way, trying to forget that I care about the stupid redhead, but it's all useless. I’m forcing my feelings away just to get through this, but it’s only making me sick and sad and I’m not fooling anybody. Not even myself.

Back outside, Hinata shows me where to park the truck. I’m forbidden to help Narita and Kinoshita, but since Hinata works here, he isn’t. He takes advantage of this and borrows a pair of my gloves, not bothering to change from his clean sweatshirt or cuffed jeans. I guess it wouldn’t make sense for me to loan him my Blue Castle moving clothes, and I think he’s too busy with the idea of being hands on for this job to care about ruining his good clothes. I take a seat on the sidewalk, crisscross applesauce, and watch the three of them laugh and chat and haul boxes. Hinata never stops smiling, eyes sparkling, busy, busy, busy. He’s loving every second of this, and I don’t need to be a mind reader to know that. Just like the other times he helped, he calls out to the others to direct them and make the move go fast and smooth. The sun brings out the gold in his hair, in his eyes, the little flecks of tan across his skin. One time, while waiting for Kinoshita to tie his shoe, he looks over at me and waves. The way he grins, so happy and alive, stabs me on the inside. I wave back, wanting nothing more than to be happy, too, but also feeling like total shit because I can’t see him smile like this for much longer. I feel like I might die.

After it’s all over, the group thanks me for keeping their cargo safe and their friend alive. Hinata laughs and asks me to help him get his bike out of the trailer. I think maybe he left it there on purpose since it's already near the door, but I don’t wanna ask. I stand in the mostly empty space with him, not sure if I want to look at him or avoid any eye contact altogether. “So!” Hinata puts his hands on his hips. “Now what?”

This sucks. Nothing has ever sucked this much. “I…I gotta go.” I mumble.

“What do you mean?” Hinata blinks. “Do you have somewhere to be in the morning? I thought you had a couple days before your next job.”

“I do, but I can’t stay.” I’m not sure how to explain this. “I have to leave.”

He scoffs. “Right now? We just got here!”

Damn it, he’s not making this easy. “Look. I can’t stay with you. There’s no way.”

The light in his eyes goes out. “Tobio, what…what’re you saying?”

“There isn’t a way I can stay with you, or you with me.”

I said it. I said it and I wish I didn’t, but I had to. “But…why not?” His voice nearly shakes.

“I have a job to do. I won’t be available for a long time, and you’re too busy to come with me.” I shrug. “We can’t keep this up.”

“You don’t like me anymore?”

I fucking love him. “That’s…” I sigh. “Don’t be a dumbass! I just explained it. Neither of us can do this. You’re staying here, and I have to head a million different directions out there. I won’t even be around here for almost a month. It can’t work.”

Hinata shakes his head. “Then what’ve we been doing the past week? What was all that?”

“Don’t make it sound like it didn’t matter.” I sigh again. “It wasn’t nothing, but there’s just no way we can keep it up.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing this.” He scrubs his face. “Are you really that afraid to let me be a part of your life? Even after all the time we spent together and all the conversations we’ve had, you still can’t just let go?” His face is a little red. “Why're you like this, Tobio? I thought you finally trusted me!”

“You’re not listening.” I shake my head. “It’s got nothing to do with any of that!”

He throws his hands in the air. “Then what is it?”

I take a step closer, sad that I’m hurting him and mad that he’s making this hurt me more. “I told you! I’m leaving, you’re staying here. It doesn’t matter how much we want to be together. There’s no way we'll work out if I’m never around and you can’t go anywhere. Don’t you get it?” I squeeze him by the shoulders, needing him to just understand. “I have to go. My life is out there, alone, on the road. That’s what I know, and that’s where I belong. You belong here, at your new job.”

He shakes his head, gripping my wrists tight. “Don’t be such a stupid asshole!”

“What do you want me to do, dumbass?”

Hinata squints his eyes shut. “I don’t know! Okay? I don’t know, but…something!”

Maybe he’s finally understanding that this can’t work anymore. I cup his face, ignoring the way my hands are shaking and suddenly cold. “I have to go. You get it, right?”

“You suck!”

“This sucks.” I correct him.

He shakes his head, opening his eyes. They’re wet and I almost can’t look at them, but if I don’t, I’ll always regret it. “This is it?”

I nod. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“Please.”

I can’t do this for another second. “I have to go.” I remind him. He takes a deep breath, settling on a frown. Maybe kissing him will only make it harder to walk away, but I have to. Just one last time. For a second, he hesitates to let me come closer, but our lips meet, and I don’t want to pull away. I want him to be happy, but that’s not something I can do anymore. When I finally take a step back, I try not to look him in the eyes again. I just set his bike on the ground, waiting for him to get out of the trailer. “’Bye, Shouyou.” He finally steps down, rushing past me, ignoring his bike altogether. He doesn’t say anything or look back, and I don’t blame him. I knew I couldn’t keep him, yet I let myself get attached. “Idiot.” I sigh to myself, wondering how I could set myself up for such a failure. In the cab, I remember I didn’t do an inspection, but press on, leaving the parking lot. Right before leaving the driveway, I look back in my mirror. I swear I see a flash of orange near the front door, but it’s gone by the time I look again. This day has been awful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next two chapters are Hinata POV. We'll join him a few days after he and Kags parted ways, and there'll be sugar, salt and silence.


	14. Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love HQ friendships~

For a few days, I wondered if that week with Tobio had even been real. Did I really hop inside a truck with a stranger and drive around the country with him? Did he really manage to grow on me so much that I felt alright kissing him and sleeping with him? Did I see genuine care and warmth in those blue eyes, or hear his voice tell me things he’d never shared with anyone else? Was all of that just a dream, or did I really fly over the sun just to burn up and come crashing back to the ground?

It all happened. Every second of it was real. We got close and now we’re strangers again.

Really, though, what did I expect? Did I think that he could suddenly have free time to stay with me and spend some time in my hometown under my roof? He’s always busy. That’s how his life goes. There’s no reason why I should’ve expected anything else. Tobio doesn’t stay in the same place for long, and that’s just the way it is. I can’t fault him for having such a wild schedule. He’s good at his job and he loves it, and there’s nothing wrong with that! The only problem is it means any relationship with him would be long distance, and there’s no knowing when we’d see each other again for sure.

Still, I wasn’t even given an option or time to process the ugly truth. Being apart would be hard, but not impossible. Maybe we could’ve tried it.

How much free time will I even have? With this new job, I’ll be busier than before, and I rarely had time for a break then! I have more responsibilities, and I have more to do in general. Even though I’m friends with the bosses, I wouldn’t ask for time off when I’ve just been promoted. I wouldn’t leave them to figure things out with me gone, and I wouldn’t abandon my duties like that. My job might not be big, but it’s important to me.

This was going to happen. There was no winning. We didn’t even have a chance.

But what if we could make it work? What if we both made sacrifices and managed to set a schedule to be with each other? Could it be possible to stay happy with conversations only through the phone? Would we ever feel like giving up our own little lives is worth staying together? Just to have a chance at staying together? What would I give up to be with Tobio? Would he be willing to give anything up to be with me? Would it ever be okay to have given up on a beloved job for the other? Is there any point in asking these questions when I’ll never have the answers?

My mind is racing. I can’t concentrate at all, barely moving my hands to get this stupid shelf built for the store. I’ve messed it up once already, and dropped more than one tool since starting, but Suga hasn’t scolded me. Tsukishima gave me a couple looks, though. “I’ll never finish.” I sigh.

“It’ll get done. Don’t worry.” Suga smiles, working on his third shelf.

“Hopefully sometime this year.” Tsukki scoffs, starting on his fourth clothing rack. He yelps when Suga pinches him. “Just focus.”

I sigh, leaning against a shelf that’s already built. “I can’t. I tried to leave my baggage at the door, but I dragged it in with me.” I rub my forehead. “Sorry. I think I need a second.”

Suga gives me a little smile. “Why don’t we take a walk?”

“You mean a break?” Tsukki rolls his eyes, but flinches when Suga makes a pinching motion near him. “There’s a lot to do! That’s all.”

Suga laughs. “We know! And it's not a break. We'll be back in a sec.” He tosses an arm around my shoulders, heading for the front door. “Come on, Hinata.” When Suga wants to have a talk, it’s never a bad thing. It’s not like being scolded by a grouchy teacher, but more like getting advice from a cool older brother. He has a seat on the curb, stretching his legs out to the parking lot. “Wanna sit?”

“Okay.” I hug my knees beside him.

“You’re not yourself, Hinata. I could make a guess as to why that is, but if you want to tell me, I’m right here.”

I sigh, hanging my head. “I know I’m doing terrible today! I’m not trying to slack, I swear!”

He jabs me in the arm, not gently. “This isn’t about work. We're friends, and I see you’re struggling with…something.”

“The trip was so nice, Suga.” I rest my head in my hands, elbows on my knees. “Everything was going so perfect, and seriously, I thought it would last! I didn’t think anything would ruin it, and now I just…I feel so stupid.” I appreciate the way he puts a hand on my shoulder. He’s so nice. “I mean, why did I think he’d be able to stay? I know his work means the world to him, and it keeps him on the road. What was I thinking?”

Suga shakes his head. “It’s not stupid to hope for the best.”

Maybe, but this still feels like crap. “I wanted this to work out.”

He smirks. “That special, huh?” When I nod, he squeezes my shoulder and lets his hand fall away. “Can’t fight that, even if you try. Sometimes a connection is impossible to ignore.”

“It hasn’t left. If he showed up, I’d run away with him in a second.” I cringe. “Is that bad?”

Without hesitation, he shakes his head. “Of course not. You’re gonna feel what you’re gonna feel.” Suga shrugs. “And, well, it’s not like you ended on bad terms, right? It’s not like you should hate him.” He hums. “Unless there’s something I don’t know, and if there is, I’ll hate him right along with you.”

I know it’s the truth, too. Suga’s a good guy, but I shake my head. “It'd be so much easier if it was like that, but no. I don’t hate him.”

“Yeah, bad blood would be helpful. Well, actually, wait.” Suga frowns. “Are you trying to move on from this man? I know you’re not together now, but if you’re on good terms, is cutting all ties the end goal here?”

“Uh…”

“Either way, I have your back. Just gotta get the facts straight.”

I mean, I wanted Tobio to stay. I wanted to be with him, and I would’ve been happy if it would’ve worked out, but now what? I still care about him. Those feelings didn’t disappear, but there’s nothing I can do with them. “Well, I guess. I guess I’m trying to get over him.” Hearing it said out loud doesn’t make me feel good. It actually upsets my stomach, and I clutch my shirt over where it hurts. “I hate this!”

Suga pouts. “I do, too! Seeing you upset is just…wrong.” He leans closer. “Why is this such a definite no? People do long distance all the time.”

“He lives on the road. Work makes him travel, and his schedule is pretty tight.”

“He can’t…I don’t know, take time off? His boss seems to be pretty familiar with him.”

I puff air out. “His job is his world. It's all he’s ever wanted, and it makes him happy.” I shake my head. “I can’t take that away from him. I could never do that.” The same way he wouldn’t do that to me. “I’ve got responsibilities here, and I don’t want to give them up. I love my job, too.”

He nods with a little smile. “You’ll be very good at it.”

“Thanks.”

“Well, I know you. I know you’re not easy to forget, so I don’t know how Kageyama could just move on like nothing.” He scoffs. “Maybe it was only a rash decision.”

“What?”

Suga holds his hands up. “Don’t quote me on this, but maybe he knew that with time running out, he had to make some kind of choice. Maybe he didn’t think it all the way through. I don’t know, but I’d give it time. See if your feelings fade, or if he reaches out, or something.” He shrugs, leaving his shoulders up. “Maybe this isn’t the time for you two, but who knows what the future looks like? You’re super, and you’ll be happy again, with or without him.”

“You think so?”

He smiles, draping his arm around me. “I know so!”

Somehow, I manage a smile. “You’re awesome, Suga. You know that?”

“I had a feeling.” Suga ruffles my hair. “Let’s get back to work, okay? Don’t worry about keeping up or whatever. Just do what you can, and try to get your mind off things.”

I follow him inside. “Okay.”

For a while, I shove thoughts of Tobio to the back of my mind. It’s not easy, but if I don’t, I’ll never get anything done and this store won’t be completed. Well, it might be completed, but it’d be without me, and I can’t have that! Suga turns the radio on and the two of us sing a little with it while we build and Tsukishima judges us. Suga has a nice voice! Mine isn’t the best, but I have fun anyway, and for some time, I don’t think about Tobio at all. Then a song comes on, one that he didn’t ask to skip when he gave me music control on our trip. He hummed the chorus after he’d heard it a couple times, and thinking about it now makes me smile. He’s a grumpy one, but he can be so cute! I think I have a picture of him smiling in that adorable way on my phone somewhere. I pull it out but pause, realizing I have more notifications than I expected. Are any from Tobio, I wonder? No, no, nope, no…none of them are from him. I sigh, turning the sound on my phone up before pocketing it. Now I won’t miss anything, if he does decide to contact me! “Any special requests for music?” Suga asks when the song ends.

“No, whatever you want.” I nod. “You pick good songs!”

Suga smirks. “At least someone thinks so.”

Tsukki rolls his eyes. “Headphones are a thing, you know.”

“So is fun!” Suga elbows him. “Try it sometime, blondie.” He turns the volume up, pretending a screwdriver's his microphone. It looks like fun, though, so I do it, too! We sing louder when Tsukki groans. I only stop to check my phone when it goes off. First there’s a message from my sister, then a few liked posts and comments on pictures, but nothing from Tobio. It’s like this for a long time. “I think it’s break time.” Suga stretches, pausing the music to take his phone. “I’m gonna grab a coffee and sandwich from across the street. Anyone want anything?”

“Macchiato and any pastry with strawberries.” Tsukki reaches for his wallet, but Suga waves him off. “Thanks.”

I clear another notification, sighing. “If they have juice, I’ll take one.” Maybe I need something to calm myself. “No, actually, can you get me an herbal tea? And any kind of chips if there are any, and something with pork or egg. Or both.” I put my phone down, leaning on a shelf.

“Be right back, guys!” Suga waves.

Tsukishima sits on an unopened box, crossing his ankles. “Wonder how long he’ll be.”

“Not too long.” I grab my phone to check it again. “He knows what…I mean, Suga's good at…” What were we talking about? I set my phone down, shaking my head. “Wait, what did you ask me?”

He sighs, rolling his eyes. “Nothing.”

Ugh, I wasn’t trying to piss him off! “Just tell me! I got distracted, but I’ll try to answer.”

“No, you moron, I literally didn’t ask you a question.”

“Oh.” I sit in front of him. “Then what were we talking about?”

Tsukki shakes his head. “If I tell you, you’ll probably forget the second you get another notification.” I glance at my phone, but quickly look away. “Exactly.”

“I’m sorry! I’m just…distracted.”

He turns, looking off to the side. “That’s obvious, as is the reason. You’re hung up on this king fellow, I’m sure.”

Even Tsukishima knows I’m still thinking of Tobio! I groan. “I can’t help it!”

“Are you that pathetic?”

“I’m not pathetic!” I smack his foot. “Don’t be mean to me.”

“I’m not being mean, I’m being honest.” He scoffs. “Some guy strings you along for a couple days, you’re dumb enough to get attached and now you’re sad he won’t call.” It’s not that simple. “Not every romp in bed means romantic feelings. You let yourself get distracted by nonsense and feelings when it’s supposed to be all business.”

He’s got it all wrong! “It wasn’t like that!”

Tsukki smirks. “Really?”

“Yeah, really! You’ve got it all wrong.” I hit his other foot. “He wasn’t stringing me along. He didn’t want to leave, but he had to. And we were together more than a couple days! It was like a week. And I wasn’t trying to get attached. It just happened, and I’m not sad he won’t call. I’m sad I haven’t heard from him since he left. I’m sad I can’t be with someone I like, and he likes me, too.”

For once, Tsukishima doesn’t have a snappy remark. He sits there, silent, for some time. “And you think checking your phone every five seconds will win him back?”

“I’m not trying to win him back.” I sigh. “I just…I don’t know!” I turn my phone back to vibrate, leaving it screen side down. “I can’t let him go. I don’t want to, but I know I should. I keep thinking maybe he'll give me a sign, like posting a picture or liking one of mine, like a clue.” It sounds so stupid out loud, but Suga said I can feel however I want to feel! “I keep looking, trying to find any bit of hope left.” Maybe I do sound pathetic.

He clears his throat. “Not like I’m your boss, but you have more pressing matters to focus on. Things that’re supposed to be important to you.”

If he thinks I’ll let this Tobio business get in the way of my work, he’s wrong! Well, maybe it was, a little, earlier, but I can fight through the bad thoughts and work harder than anyone. “They are important, Tsukishima.” I stand from the floor. “Nothing will get in the way of me doing my job right.”

“If you say so.” He shrugs.

When Suga comes back with our stuff, I hurry to finish so I can start working again. The best way to ignore the sad is to busy my hands and brain with other things, and these shelves need to be finished as soon as possible. I don’t get a lot of singing or obsessing over my phone done, but I do catch up to Suga's progress! I even finish building more than him, in fact. “What else can I build?” I ask, dusting my hands off.

“You can assemble some of these racks.” Tsukki gestures to the pile of metal parts near him.

“This location will have so much more apparel than the original.” Suga mentions. “Apparel, books and hobby goods.”

I nod, getting the paper with directions out of my way. “That’ll be nice! A good selection of clothes is important, so I hope we have a lot of sizes and stuff.” From what I saw in the boxes, we had plenty to sell, but I’ll make sure to keep my eye out for more variety, including kids clothes and more formal stuff. Didn’t I see some of this stuff before? “Oh.” I freeze, remembering that it was around Tobio's neck that I saw one of these pieces. It was our last dinner date, that amazing night we spent together that’d actually be our last. Did that cross his mind while we played around in the truck, or while we shared dessert? Was he thinking that we wouldn’t see each other again when we kissed and held each other in the dark?

“Hinata?” Suga calls.

Crap! I got lost in my thoughts! “Yeah? Sorry, were you talking to me?”

Tsukki scoffs. “He’s hopeless.”

Before I can say something back at him, Suga sighs. “I’m starting to dislike this Kageyama guy. He’s got you so twisted, it’s not even funny.”

“I’ll say.” Tsukki adds.

“Well, what am I supposed to do?” I groan. “I’ve never been through this before!”

Suga shrugs. “I’m telling you: let him realize if he fucked up, or not. Let him see that he shouldn’t have just ended things like that without giving you a say in it.”

Tsukishima frowns. “Didn’t you say there was no way to stay together?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what’s left to say?” Tsukki turns, getting back to work. “It’s done and over with. All that’s left is to move on and get back to work.”

There’s actually a ton I want to say! I have both nice words and mean words for Tobio, but telling him any of them when he made it clear we’re through is just asking for trouble and hurt. “I know, but I wanna talk to him. I feel like leaving him a message, or something.”

Instead of turning down the music, Suga turns it off completely. “You didn’t ask for my advice, but let me just insist that you don’t do that.” Why does he look so serious?

“Suga?”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “Really! Let him reach out to you first. He’s the one who made the choice to end things, right then and there, and he’s the one who left. It’s not on you to extend an olive branch when all you did was show him love.”

“And do you really wanna be that annoying guy who keeps bugging him, not taking the hint?”

“So sensitive.” Suga throws his balled up sandwich wrapper at Tsukki, who almost dodges it. “But you don’t want to be the only one giving and sacrificing. Let him work some.”

I feel like Suga is obviously biased because he cares about me, but maybe he’s right. Maybe I should just leave things alone and wait for Tobio to say something. Maybe with silence, he'll see that he misses me and will want to try and make things work again. Maybe he'll realize that it was a stupid mistake to not try and stay together. Maybe he'll see that life without me is a lot worse than he remembers it. Maybe I am a little pathetic, but I don’t think it’s so wrong to hope high!

On my way home, I pick up some fast food for dinner. Instead of a drink, I get a strawberry vanilla swirl milkshake because ice cream makes me feel better.

I don’t bother sitting at my tiny dining table. I just plop down on the sofa, bringing my feet under me, and eat in front of the tv. I put it on some game show, but don’t really pay attention. I wonder what Tobio would think of this show, or if he’d make me put on a movie instead. We’d probably fight over the remote, which would probably turn into play wrestling, or something. Would he like my sofa, even though the cushions are lopsided? Would he make fun of my coffee table with a magazine under one leg to make it less wobbly? I bet he’d put his feet up, and then I’d have to push them off since that’s rude. I’d probably have to remind him to use a coaster for his drink, too. “Stupid-yama.” I sigh before slurping my shake. I can’t get him off my mind!

When I’m done eating and bored of the tv, I head to the kitchen. It’s small, but it has everything I need. Most of my cabinets are pretty bare, actually, since I usually buy stuff right when I need it. It’s mostly the top shelves that stay empty, but I don’t really use those. I’d probably need Tobio to reach anything up there, anyway. I’m sure he’d make fun of me at first, but then he’d help and then I’d have to kiss him. I sigh again while throwing away my trash and the leftovers in the fridge I’d forgotten about.

I should get ready for bed. I drag my feet to the bathroom, making a mental note to change one of the lightbulbs in here tomorrow. My teeth don’t look dirty, but I had that milkshake and that means I better brush them. I forgot how strong the mint in my toothpaste is! I’d gotten used to Tobio's more subtle gel. One time before bed, we started brushing at the same time and waited for the other to finish first. I thought being faster would make me the winner, but then I realized that brushing longer would probably mean brushing better, so I tried to wait him out. Tobio makes such a serious face when brushing, but I guess maybe that’s just the face he was born with. After brushing, I figure I should take a quick shower. I worked hard today and worked up a sweat! I don’t have anything to change into in here, but there’s nobody around to see me naked, so oh well. I toss my clothes in the hamper and stand under the stream of water, closing the curtain around my tub. My last shower with Tobio was sweet and warm, and really, really nice. We washed each other’s hair and rubbed soap all over the other's body, gentle and unhurried. His hands on my wet skin, soapy and hot, relaxed every muscle of mine. Thinking about it now, I sigh and close my eyes. Tobio can be surprisingly soft at times, light touches and lingering kisses all over. He’d draw invisible patterns over my shoulders, down my chest, around my back. My fingers try to mimic all of this, but it’s just not the same. The way he touched me was different, and I wonder how much of my life I’ll spend trying to find something that comes close.

I towel off, drying my hair when I get to my room. I find a pair of clean underwear in the drawer, but don’t bother looking for anything else. My bed is big and cozy looking, inviting me to take it easy and let my body rest for the night. It looks comfy and all, but when I get in, it feels empty. The sheets are cold, the mattress is wide, the pillows piled high. It all smells like clean laundry, but I wish it smelled more like Tobio, like warmth and hard work.

Tsukki would call me pathetic and Suga would definitely give me a look, but I swallow my pride and rummage through my backpack that I haven’t touched since getting back here. I find the shirt Tobio let me borrow, the one he’d worn first, and slip it on over my bare skin. The scent of him is fading, but it’s as much as I’m going to get. With it on, I settle under the covers and try to find a comfortable position. On my right side, the blanket doesn’t sit right. On my left, the beating of my heart is too distracting. On my stomach, I can’t breathe good. With a groan, I settle for lying on my back, staring up at the dark ceiling. I’m not sleepy. I reach over to the nightstand, checking my phone for any notifications again. Nothing from Tobio. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I start typing a message for him: ‘I know you think we can’t be together but I’ll wait for you to be able to come back. I’ll wait forever if it means we can stay together. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I just want you back.’ My words aren’t perfect and there’s a lot more I wanna say, but there’s no point to any of it. On a deep breath in, I delete it all, set my phone down and breathe back out, shutting my eyes. I probably won’t sleep much tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update: hugs, threats and family


	15. Bond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Hinata POV, about three weeks later

More time passes, and still no word from Tobio. It’s been almost a month since I’ve seen him, and we haven’t been in contact in any way. At first, I spent nearly every night fighting the urge to send him a message or post a picture from our trip together. Slowly, the urge has gone away, a quiet thought sitting in the very back of my brain. I’m trying to accept that things are really over, but it’s so hard! It’s like pretending the best time never happened, like erasing the past from my brain. It’s hard, and I don’t want to do it, but I’m at the point where the memories are souring and gathering dust. It doesn’t feel okay, but one day it will. One day it’ll be like remembering I once had a goldfish, but can’t remember if it was named Sunny or Goldie.

The store will be opening soon. Today, we’re finishing up stocking all the shelves and racks and getting the displays to look good. Yamaguchi and Ennoshita will stay at this location, but Tanaka’s only here to lend a hand. They’re quick workers, but Tanaka isn’t all that concerned with details and Ennoshita has to keep telling him to make things look pretty. “We don’t want sloppy. We want inviting, remember?” Ennoshita will be my right hand man once the store opens, so I’m glad he has a mind for this!

“Okay, okay, I’ll get it eventually!” Tanaka laughs.

I smile, but I don’t laugh. Maybe because it’s not my conversation, or maybe because I haven’t felt like laughing today. I remember Tobio saying something similar to Tanaka's words when I was teaching him to hula hoop, and the desire to smile fades even more. Yamaguchi elbows me. “The two of them working together is almost like having the help of a whole person.” He smirks.

“Good thing we’ve got all day!” I try to smile back.

“We're gonna need it!”

Another smile doesn’t come any easier, but I really try. “Right.”

Later, Ennoshita goes off to set up a display in the book section. He’s gone a while, though, and I ask Yamaguchi if he’s still back there. “Yeah, I think so. Want me to check?”

“No.” I shake my head. “I’ll go.”

At the bookshelves, I don’t see Ennoshita. He’s not really short, so he should be easy to spot. I peek around the corner, noticing him crouched at the floor. He smiles when he sees me. “I got caught up alphabetizing these. I can’t believe how out of order they were.” He laughs. Near him, on the end of a shelf, is a book on display, sort of propped open. Underneath are similar books, staggered down towards the floor. I point at it. “Yeah?”

“You did this?” I ask.

He nods, standing back up. “Yeah. Hope you don’t mind.” He points to the plastic pins that’re keeping the books from falling. “I just thought it might look more interesting than plain sitting on a shelf.”

“It’s great!” I give him a thumbs up. “You’re so good at this.”

Ennoshita shrugs with a smile. “Thanks. Should I keep at it?”

One of the books is a dark blue. It reminds me of sad eyes as I run my fingers along the cover. “Yeah, go for it.”

A few signs still need to be put up, like for the bathrooms and the fitting rooms. Tanaka takes them under his arms, excited to be using a hammer and nails, and marches to the back. “Help me make sure they’re level, okay?” He asks me.

I take the level and a step stool, just in case, and follow right behind. “You got it!”

Tanaka puts his finger on the wall, turning to me. “Is here good? I think it’s a good height, right? Then people can see it from far away!” I take a few steps back, just to be sure. “See if you can see it from around the corner, too.”

“Okay!” I run around the shelf nearby, then to the other side. “I should be able to see it!”

He cheers. “Awesome! I’ll hang it up, then.”

Tanaka quickly gets the first nail in the wall, measuring before putting the second one in. The paint reminds me of the last hotel room I stayed in, a soft yellow that made the moonlight look warm and cozy. It made Tobio's skin glow that night. “That’s perfect!” I snap back to the task at hand. “Hang it up, good sir.” I hand him the sign, standing back so I’ll be able to see it in full force. Tanaka is very careful when hanging it, though, and uses the level to make sure it’s up straight. It looks perfect! I clap my hands. “Yes, you got it! Good job, Tanaka!”

Yamaguchi’s nearby, and walks over to see what we’re so excited about. “What’s up?”

“Just putting up some signage.” Tanaka smirks. “Looks good from back there, right?”

At first, Yamaguchi just blinks. Then he looks from one door to the other. He laughs, but uses his hand to hide it. “Yeah, if you want customers peeing in the fitting rooms.”

What?! “No!” I groan, realizing I handed Tanaka the wrong sign! How did I not notice? “Sorry, Tanaka! I gave you the wrong one.” I scrub my face, annoyed and frustrated at my own stupidity. What a rookie mistake! “I’m sorry. I can fix it!” I rush over to Tanaka, holding the sign out. He waves his hands, shrugging.

“It's alright, Hinata. I got it.” He takes the sign down. “This one’ll be even more perfect!”

I sigh, handing the sign over. “Okay. Sorry.”

Tanaka claps me on the back with a grin. “No worries, my man! I got this.”

The guys get hungry after we’re almost done. We decide to stay and eat together before finishing up and going our separate ways for the night. I offer to pick up some burgers from down the street, and Yamaguchi volunteers to go with me. “I could use a good walk. Get some fresh air.” He shrugs. “You don’t mind, right?” He smiles.

Of course I don’t mind! I hold the door open for him. “Nope! Let’s go.”

It’s not quite getting dark yet, but it’s nice outside. There’s a tiny breeze, warm on my skin, brushing through my hair. I like being able to take a break from being inside to feeling the sun on me. Yamaguchi takes a deep breath in and sighs. “Nice to get out of there! I’ve been stuck inside, fixing the flat for Tsukki, and setting up shop when I’m not home.” He stretches his arms up. “Wanna split the bill? I can get myself and one of the guys.”

I shake my head. “Thanks, but I’ve got it! Maybe next time.”

“Okay, sure.”

“I forgot you were so busy these days.” I remember. “Excited he's moving in?”

He nods, face a little red. “Yeah. It was fun staying at each other’s places and everything, but it’ll be nice to always be together.”

I scoff, trying not to laugh. “Scary. Now you’ll never get a break from him!”

Yamaguchi laughs but hits me in the arm. “Shut up.”

“What made you guys decide?”

“Decide what?”

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima have known each other since they were kids, and have been dating a couple years now. Having Tsukki move in with him couldn’t have been a decision made overnight! “To have him move in with you! That’s a big step, isn’t it?”

He nods. “Yeah, I guess. His flat's smaller than mine, and he likes where mine is better, anyway, so it wasn’t hard to decide.” Yamaguchi shrugs. “It just made sense.” It doesn’t make sense for me or Tobio to quit our jobs on a gamble. Who knows how long we'd even last? Yamaguchi and Tsukki did what made sense for their relationship, and going our separate ways is what made sense for me and Tobio. “You know what I mean?”

I hum in agreement. “Yeah, I think so. Good for you guys!”

Yamaguchi smiles. “Thanks!”

At the restaurant, I get Yamaguchi extra fries and Tanaka extra meat on his burger and bacon on mine. We thumb wrestle while we wait for our food to be ready, and it reminds me of the time me and Tobio played the hand slapping game. He started out being really good, but I learned that his eyes do this thing right before he goes in for the slap. They darken and his eyelashes slightly flutter. I kinda expect Yamaguchi’s eyes to do something similar, but his eyes are locked on our thumbs and those eyes aren't blue like Tobio's. Yamaguchi ends up beating me. A lot.

Back at the shop, the guys aren't where we left them. "Where'd they get to?" My eyes land on the two bodies lying on the floor, limbs splayed out. Ennoshita's on his stomach, Tanaka on his back. “What the…?” I step forward, crouching to get a closer look at Tanaka. He hangs his tongue out of his mouth, groaning.

“I starved to death!” Tanaka groans. “I’m a goner.”

Yamaguchi screams, jumping off the floor. Ennoshita's crawled towards him, gripping his ankle. “You’re…you’re too late.” He whispers, dropping his face to the tile.

I double over, laughing so hard, I almost drop the bags of food. Yamaguchi rolls his eyes, kicking his foot out of Ennoshita’s grip. “Hilarious, guys. Get off the floor so we can eat.” He sighs and takes a seat away from the two playing dead. I sit next to him, doling out the burgers and fries on napkins.

“That was amazing!” I’m still laughing. “Whose idea was that?”

Ennoshita sits up, raising his hand. “Guilty.”

Tanaka starts in on his food, not waiting for the rest of us. “We were starving! Glad it made you laugh, Hinata. And thanks for the grub, man!”

I trade my soggy fries for crispy ones with Yamaguchi. “Glad it made me laugh?” I ask.

“At least it made someone laugh.” Yamaguchi smirks. Ennoshita laughs.

“Yeah! You haven’t been…I dunno, laughing? At all today.” Tanaka shrugs. “You're normally more chipper, and I think you needed to laugh.”

Now, I know I haven’t been in the best mood today, but has everyone else noticed? I look around at the others. “Have I been weird?”

Ennoshita shrugs. “Not weird, exactly. Just a bit…off.”

“Like how?” I bite off a piece of bacon.

“You’ve been on another planet!” Tanaka says.

Yamaguchi nods. “Like, you’re distracted by something, or something.”

“Maybe a little off your game.” Ennoshita adds.

I groan. “I’m sorry, guys!”

“You don’t have to apologize!” Yamaguchi shakes his head, holding his hands up. “We just want you to be okay.”

“I’m fine.” I sigh. “Just trying to move forward, I guess.”

Ennoshita nods. “Right. Okay.”

“So this is still about that Kageyama guy?” Tanaka scowls. “For real?”

“Easy.” Ennoshita puts a hand on Tanaka’s knee. “It was a learning experience for Hinata, and the process of moving on is…well, it is, too. It’s all just growing from what we go through. There’s no timeline for that.”

Tanaka rolls his eyes. “Yeah, but it still pisses me off! How could he say no to Hinata? What an asshole!”

Yamaguchi frowns, looking my way. “He made you sad, and I hate that.”

“Exactly!” Tanaka points at me. “If you want me to find him and kick his ass, I’ll do it. You just say the word, and he’s pummeled.” He wipes the ketchup from the corner of his mouth and pops his knuckles. “No questions asked.”

It’s a real thoughtful offer, but I don’t want Tobio hurt. I shake my head. “No, that’s okay.”

“But he’s a bastard, obviously.” Tanaka makes a face. “Anyone who hurts my friend is!”

“Yeah.” Yamaguchi agrees. “He must be a real jerk, or the stupidest person, to walk away from you. Or maybe he’s crazy!”

I know they’re only mad because they care about me, and that does make me a little warm inside, but they’re wrong. Tobio isn’t a jerk all the time, and he’s dumb, but not the dumbest person, and he’s definitely not crazy. I sigh. “I appreciate it, guys, but…I’m not mad at him. I don’t hate him.”

“You just miss him.” Ennoshita exhales.

“Yeah.” I stuff my face with fries.

Tanaka hums. “Well, you know I love you, bro. I just want you to be happy again!”

“Same.” Yamaguchi sorta smiles. “You’re such an awesome person, and it sucks to see you sad, is all.”

“Like I said.” Ennoshita sits back on his hands. “It was a learning experience, for better or worse. You learned a lot about yourself, I’m sure, and you’ll be stronger and better for it.” He gives me a smile. “You’ll get through this.”

Yamaguchi gives a thumbs up. “And we'll be here for you, right by your side.”

“Hell yeah!” Tanaka grins.

A big smile comes naturally for me this time. “Thanks, everyone! You guys are the best!”

When we all decide to call it a night, Yamaguchi helps me put my bike in his car so he can drive me home. “Tsukki can’t complain about the dirt if it’s not his car.” He smirks. “Did you have anything planned for your night, or just relaxing? We got a lot done today!”

“Natsu's coming by with something, I think.” I actually don’t remember if she was gonna come cook, or bring food already made.

“That’ll be nice! How is she?”

I watch the scenery go by, buildings replaced by trees and light posts replaced by the setting sun. “She’s good! On break from school, so she’s been back home.”

“I bet your mom’s happy about that.” Yamaguchi smiles. “They’re so close.”

“Yeah, but I’m glad she’s made time to see me! I miss that little pepper.” Natsu has always been full of energy, bright and fiery, just like a pepper. Mom says she’s just like me, but I think we're a lot different! Natsu's a girl, after all, and I’m bigger than her.

At my place, Yamaguchi parks behind my car and helps me get my bike out of his. “There you go!”

“Thanks!” I lean it against the tiny garage. “Let me know when you get home.”

He nods. “I will. And…Hinata?”

“Huh?”

Yamaguchi takes a deep breath. “I know you’ll get through this on your own, one way or another, but if you need anything, I’m here, and so are the others. And he might not say it, but so is Tsukki.” He holds his arms out, pulling me in for a tight hug. “We all want you happy. You deserve that and more. If this guy doesn’t see it, that doesn’t make it less true.”

I hug back, so grateful to have such good friends. “I know. And thank you!” I give him one more good squeeze before stepping back. “You’re so freaking awesome, Yamaguchi!”

He waves me off, getting back to his car. “I’ll see you. Have a good night!”

“You, too!”

Before Natsu gets here, I run through the shower and change. I’m not sure if she’s staying the night or not, but I make sure the futon in the closet is clean enough just in case. She doesn’t always plan ahead, so even if she isn’t thinking she'll sleep over, she might, and I wanna be prepared! My kitchen isn’t exactly ready for company, though. The counters have trash and wrappers all over and some dirty dishes are still in the sink. I can’t let her see the mess or our mom will find out and yell at me, so I roll up my sleeves and get to cleaning after seeing a message from Yamaguchi that he’s home. I’m still in the middle of rinsing dishes when the front door flies open. “Knock, knock!” Natsu calls out. “Where’s the butler? I’ve got a heavy bag, Shouyou!”

I take my yellow gloves off, meeting her near the door. “The butler’s out, but the maid's in.” I sigh, trading her the gloves for her overnight bag. “What do you have in here, anyway? Are you moving in?”

“Just for tonight!” She heads for the kitchen, takeaway bag in hand, while I put her things away. When I come back, she’s staring at the counter, still holding my gloves and the food.

“What?” I ask, taking the gloves from her.

She glares, setting the food on the stovetop. “You know what! There’s crap all over.” Natsu holds her hand out. “Give me the gloves back.”

I pull them away. “No!”

“I wanna help!”

“But I need them to finish with the dishes!”

Natsu tries to wrestle them from me, but she’s tiny and I’m stronger. “I’m not touching your trash without them!”

I push her towards the living room. “Then don’t! I’ll clean up myself. Go sit.”

“Ugh, Shouyou!” She rolls her eyes but plops down on the sofa. “So stubborn. You’re lucky I didn’t wanna cook in here! There’s no room to do anything.”

“I am lucky. You might’ve burned the place down, and then I’d be homeless.” I smirk. With insane speed, she takes her socks off, rolls them in a ball and throws them at my head. When I make a stupid yelling sound, she laughs. “Natsu, don’t throw things!” I yell, throwing them back at her. I miss, but I think I’ve made my point clear! “Stop it!”

She makes a face at me. “Whatever! Just bring the food over when you’re done playing house.”

“Fine!” I try to hurry up so we can eat. “How’d you do on your presentation, anyway?”

Natsu groans. “I forgot a big part of what I was gonna say…so I made it up until I remembered. I don’t think anyone noticed, but it was awkward!” She sighs. “Getting up in front of people is so stressful. When am I ever gonna do that in my life? Never!”

I shrug. “I guess. Did you try picturing them in their underwear?”

“How would that help?”

Laughing, I take the food over to her and settle in on the sofa. “I don’t know! I’ve heard people do that.” She rolls her eyes and dishes us some dinner. “I try to just focus on one person at a time when I’m talking to groups of people. It helps me.”

She hums, mouth full of food. “Maybe.”

I toss her a napkin. “You’re a pig.”

“You’re the pig!” She makes a face. “Excited to start work? You open soon, don’t you?”

I nod. “Yeah. It’s gonna be different, but I’m up for a challenge.”

Natsu eats off my plate. “Is it weird being back home? You didn’t say much about your trip when you got back.” Ugh, crap. This is the one thing I’ve been trying to avoid! Natsu can tell, too. “You keeping secrets, Shou? That’s not very cash money of you.”

I smirk. “Shut up. I’m not keeping secrets, it’s just…not fun to talk about.”

“Can I know anyway?”

Suddenly I’m not so hungry. “Me and Tobio got to be…uh, more than friends.” I wait for her to nod so I can keep going. “I really liked him, and he liked me back, and we were having so much fun and getting to know each other.”

“So what happened? Did you have a fight?”

“No.”

“Did he already have a boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Did…oh, God, did he die?”

“No!”

Natsu sighs, putting her hand over her heart. “Wow. Okay, then what’s the problem? What happened?”

I lean back, looking up at the ceiling. “He left.” She doesn’t say anything, but the quiet feels like too much. “He left because he’s busy with work, and I let him go because so am I. He’s never in one place for very long, and I have a lot of responsibility here. I don’t know if I’ll ever even see him again, and that’s not easy to deal with.” I feel something warm on my shoulder, and notice Natsu's put her hand there.

“You miss him?”

I nod. “A lot. And I feel crazy because we were only together a little while, and I completely fell for him! How does this even happen?”

She hugs her knees to her chest. “You can’t control that! Feelings are weird.”

“Yeah, but now I’m just here, trying to forget it all, and it’s hard. It sucks to not talk to him.”

Natsu puts her chin on her knees, pouting. “Why aren’t you talking to him?”

“What would be the point?”

She shrugs. “You could be friends, and see if you can get back together? Long distance would be hard, but not impossible, right?”

If I kept talking to Tobio, I’d miss him and want to be with him, and that’s not an option. It seems like a trap I’d be putting myself in! “I don’t know, Su. We have our own busy lives, and being away from each other would be sad. I don’t want sad.”

“But you already are sad! Don’t you think Tobio’s sad, too?”

“Maybe.”

“Then how’s not talking better?” She huffs. “Even if you don’t want to jump into a relationship again, you can get some sort of closure! You can make sure that you both really would rather be apart, or come up with something better than sitting around miserable.” Natsu leans over to shove me, but she’s not very strong. “At least try! You don’t wanna look back and not have tried at all, do you?”

I push her back by the forehead, not using any strength. “I guess not.”

She swats my hands away. “Stop that!”

I let her go. “What would I even say? Suga said he should reach out first since this was his idea, and the ball's in his court.”

“Don’t play games! Just get to the point.”

“Maybe.” I turn to her. “Why're you so fired up about this, anyway? You didn’t even know Tobio.”

She pouts again. “I don’t have to. I know you, and I know you’re sad.” Her face softens. “You shouldn’t ever be sad. You should always be smiling, and happy.”

Hearing her say that makes me happy! I hold my arms out. “You’re my favorite little brat!”

Natsu squeezes me for a good hug. “And you’re my favorite big jerk!”

I think she does have a point, but so did Suga. I shouldn’t give up just because it’s easy and makes sense, but I should also leave the door open for Tobio to walk through first. I know how I feel, but I don’t want to just assume he still feels the same way. There has to be some way to see if he’s even willing to talk to me without spilling my guts.

When Natsu stays over, she refuses to take my bed, but I refuse to make her sleep in the living room. The futon doesn’t really fit there, anyway. We compromise by setting it up in my room, which is why my bed is closer to the wall than the middle of the room. One day I’ll fix up the tiny room down the hall so she can stay there when she visits, but it’s fine as a storage room for now. I can hear her snoring, not tossing or turning a bit, after lights out. I don’t find sleep that easily, still thinking about what she said. Standing still and waiting for something to happen is just torture, and I’m ready to put an end to it!

I look through the pictures I took during my days with Tobio. A lot of them are from the passenger seat of his truck, through the window. Some are blurry, but some actually turned out nice. Almost all of them are scenery and of the places we stopped. I took a picture of our rooms a few times, and only a couple of us. I actually forgot I did that at all, but it was the day we played around with the stuff from the boxes and we were goofing around. We look happy.

My favorite picture, I think, is a close up of the printout from the photo booth. I zoomed in, mostly getting the middle pictures, but I like how comfortable we look with each other. We laughed and made faces and shoved each other around, but we look like we’re having fun. That was before we even kissed, but it’s super obvious we were headed for more than friendship. I didn’t really think about it then, but I guess it makes sense why everyone assumed we were partners. Things just came naturally to us, even our feelings. I crop the picture better, adjusting the lighting so it looks pretty, and decide this is the one. This is the picture I want to share from our trip. I post it, only tagging it as ‘good times' and decide not to tag Tobio. He'll see it since we follow each other, and I don’t want him to feel obligated to like it just because he’s tagged in it.

I set my phone down again, rolling over to try and get some sleep, but my phone immediately vibrates with a notification. Who’s awake right now? It’s the middle of the night! I check, and my heart slams around my ribcage, my breath catching. Tobio liked it! He liked the picture of us! What does this mean? Is he being polite? Is he missing me? Does he agree that the times were good, but feel that they’re really over now? I want to ask these questions and a million more, but take a deep breath. Just one message, and I’ll leave the rest up to him. I’ll send just one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I can’t get any canon older-Natsu characterization, I had to get creative XD The next update has chocolate, insults and siblings so stay tuned!


	16. Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Kags POV. Oh, Tobio-chan, you simple fool hahha

There are a lot of things running through my mind this morning, and I’m not sure if it’s from the complete lack of sleep or the message on my phone. Well, the lack of sleep is actually because of the message I got, so I guess it’s all the same. That message has been haunting me ever since I got it. I’m staring at my phone’s screen, chewing on half a candy bar, wondering what I’m supposed to do now. I have a meeting with Oikawa in a few minutes, so I parked outside his office, eating the last of the chocolate left over from last month, but this message will still be here after whatever he's got to say to me. Maybe he wants to fire me, or something. Maybe he wants me to hand over my keys. I don't know, but this candy doesn’t even taste like anything. I don’t know what to do with myself until this appointment. I have no idea how to respond to this message, and staring at it isn’t making it go away. Am I supposed to say something back? I might say too much if I respond, but it seems weird to say nothing. I finish the flavored bar of chocolate, licking my fingers clean, wondering what the hell I'm gonna do.

I could be honest and say every day since leaving hasn’t been fun. I’ve never felt so alone in my life, and driving the road by myself has never been so boring. Nothing is the same anymore, and it feels like I keep forgetting something when I’m not forgetting anything. Nothing tastes good, and I can’t sleep. Everything just plain sucks.

I could lie and say this is all for the best and I’m doing fine. I’ve never needed a partner, anyway, and my work is going smoother than ever. My life has gone back to normal, and I feel whole again. I don't feel empty or restless in any way. Everything feels fine the way it is.

I sigh, leaning my forehead on the steering wheel. Everything before that trip with Hinata Shouyou was so easy! Everything made sense and I didn’t have to think about a damn thing. Eat on the road, drive, drop off and pick up, drive, park to sleep, repeat. Now, I don’t feel like eating anything, and when I do eat, it’s flavorless. I don’t even feel like driving if it’s not to get back to him, or not somewhere he picked. Getting to help move cargo isn’t the same without working together, or competing over who can move faster. I can’t sleep at all, and the few times that I have managed to fall asleep, I dream of bright orange hair and chapped lips. Just the thought of nobody bugging me about how my route sucks or that I’m driving too slow makes my stomach ache. It’s so stupid and it makes no sense, but it’s my every day now.

Well, it’s about time for my meeting with Oikawa. Maybe he'll tell me I’ve been so bad at my job lately that there’s no longer a place for me. Would I even care? If I lost my job, I could have a normal relationship and I wouldn’t have to suck at work. If I lost my job, everything I’ve worked for would be for nothing.

In the office, it’s so quiet that my steps echo. The front desk is empty because it’s too early for the lady who answers the phone to be here. It’s too early for anyone to be here, actually, but Oikawa wanted me to be here as soon as possible.  
I knock on his door. “Oikawa? I’m here.” I tell him.

“Just a moment!” Oikawa says like a song. Is that whispering going on? I want to open the door, but when I reach for the knob, it opens. I take a step back, making room for Iwaizumi to walk through.

“Kageyama.” He nods.

“Oh, hi, Iwaizumi.” I nod back. “Is it safe to go in there?”

He shrugs. “If I were you?” He walks past me. “I’d probably behave.”

Excellent. “Thanks.” I sigh, pushing through the door. Inside the office, Oikawa is standing by the window, his back to me. “You wanted to see me?” I ask, standing on the other side of his desk. He doesn’t turn around, so I take a seat.

“I’ve been hearing some things about you, and I’d like you to stop me, and correct me, if I’m wrong.” He finally turns and clears his throat. “Let’s see. You haven’t been ridiculously early to your appointments.” That’s true. “You haven’t been hurrying your coworkers through moves.” Also true. “You haven’t been eating much.” Yup. “You aren’t taking long enough breaks to sleep.” What for? “You’re even quieter than usual.” Yeah. “You haven’t gotten into any spats lately.” What’s a spat? “And you can’t put your phone down for more than a couple minutes at a time when you’re not in the middle of something.” Well, my phone is in my hand right now, but I’m not looking at it! “Have I misspoken, Tobio-chan?”

I shake my head, looking down at the desk between us. “I guess not.”

Oikawa sits in his big fancy chair. “Okay. So, do tell me.” He leans forward. “What the hell's your problem? I give you your own truck, send you on the road for hours anyone else would hate, feed you on company coin, and you give me this?” He gestures at me. “I don’t even know what this is! Mopey, despondent, melancholy…I mean, really! What is it?” He rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me this is about money or hours.”

I’m not really sure what he’s talking about, but I meet his eyes. “I’m sorta…distracted lately.”

“Seriously? With what?” He frowns. “Are your parents okay? And Miwa?”

I nod. “Yeah, they’re all fine. It’s not that.”

Oikawa sighs, dropping his glasses on the desk. “Then what is it, Tobio? What on this planet has got you so twisted these days?”

“I got a message last night.”

He blinks for a second, then frowns. “Do I get to hear more of the story, or does the gripping tale end there?”

I pull my phone out, showing him the post. “This picture was posted last night. Well, I mean, this morning, I guess. And I like it, so I liked it, and then I got a message in response, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it.” I leave my phone on the desk so he can see the picture, but not so he can see the message. Oikawa looks at it, but looks more confused than ever.

“Wait. All of this, this change in your brooding demeanor, is because of him? Because of Shouyou?”

“Well…yeah.”

Oikawa scoffs, shoving my phone back at me. “What the hell? He posted a cute picture of you two and you don’t know what to say? Have you never had a boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

His eyes get big, mouth parting. “Um, what?”

I repeat myself. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Oikawa shakes his head, eyes to the ceiling. “Okay, pause. So he decided to randomly post an adorable picture in the middle of the night. Why?” When I shrug, he throws his hands in the air. “Did you not ask him, or talk about it?”

“We haven’t talked since I dropped him off.”

“You’re joking.” He scoffs with a smirk. I shake my head, and he covers his face. “You’re not joking. Okay. Hell.” Oikawa waves his hands. “So you liked the picture and he sent you a message. What'd he say?”

I keep seeing the message in my head, like it’s on repeat. “’Hi.’”

Again, he just blinks. “That’s it?”

“Well, ‘Hi, Tobio.’”

Oikawa leans back in his chair, laughing. “That’s all? All of this is because you don’t know how to type a greeting?”

“It’s not that simple!”

“Yeah, it is, actually. You've just made it so complicated, you can’t see that!” Oikawa puts his hands behind his head. “You get stuck with this little stud muffin who, by some miracle, falls for you, you fall for him, then you two go your own separate ways and never speak again? What sense does that make?”

I lean forward, getting frustrated all over again. “What else was I supposed to do? Run away with him? I have a busy job! Was I supposed to commit to something I can’t be around for?”

“Did you even think to ask me about reworking your job description?”

“But I love my job! I love everything about working here, and I wouldn’t want a new job.”

He sighs, shutting his eyes for a moment. “You idiot. That’s not what I meant.” Oikawa sits up straighter, hands on the desk. “How about: hey, boss! This guy I’m in love with lives nearby and driving all over the place like a wanted felon won’t work with that situation. Think maybe we can discuss our options?”

Wait, what? Why? How? “You’d be willing to work something out like that?”

“If you ask nicely!”

“But…why?”

He smirks at me. “Tobio, shut up. If Sugawara wants, I can loan you to the shop and you can work cargo for them sometimes. The rest of your routes can be closer to home, and I’ll send someone else out to the ends of the earth in your place.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Is it possible that I can keep my job and relationship at the same time? I mean, if I had a relationship. I guess I don’t anymore. “If only.”

“If only what?” Oikawa huffs. “What else do you want?”

I tap my phone, looking down at the post from last night. “Him.”

“You're so stupid, I swear, there are no words to encompass your stupidity.” Oikawa grabs my phone, doing something on it that I can’t see. “Just talk to him! Go see him, even. Pretend you’re a normal person and tell him you miss him and you were an ass to walk away in the first place and you’re a wreck without him. It’s that fucking easy, you dolt.” He tosses the phone back at me, open to the message I haven’t replied to.

“And what if that doesn’t work?”

He rolls his eyes. “Just try! It’s not like there’s a line of other hot guys waiting to share pork buns with you in the cab of a truck. What do you have to lose?”

Nothing, I guess. I shrug. “If I were him, I don’t know if I’d want to see me.”

“He said hi, moron. He obviously wants to talk to you. And who the hell posts a picture like that if they hate the other person? Shouyou clearly misses you, but since you left him, he probably doesn’t know what to do. Good job.”

I rub my face, feeling bad enough without facing the fact that this is my fault. “Shit.”

“I’ll say.” Oikawa puts his glasses back on, turning to his computer. “Well, in order for all this to be sorted out, I believe we'll use some of your vacation hours for a week or so. You have quite a bit saved up, so come back...the twenty second?” He glances at me but doesn’t wait for a response. “That’ll give you time to either patch things up with him or recover from some of the heartbreak. I’ll get it sorted with another driver and call Suga soon.” With one last keystroke, he turns back to me with a small smile. “Good?”

How am I supposed to thank him? There’s no way I can repay all of this. He didn’t solve all of my problems, but he sure as hell helped a ton! I stand, nodding, and reach my hand out. “Yeah, I…I don’t know what to say.”

He shakes my hand with a smirk. “You can grovel when you get back. I like sparkling rosé and milk bread.”

“Got it!” I put my phone in my pocket.

“Don’t think your time off starts today, either. I can’t reschedule this late in the game, so don’t forget about your drop off this afternoon.”

I nod, opening the door. “I won’t!”

“Oh, and Tobio?” Oikawa smiles. “Say thank you.”

He could’ve just said ‘you’re welcome,’ but nothing with Oikawa is ever that painless. I exhale, nodding once in his direction. “Thank you…Oikawa.”

He uses both hands to blow kisses at me. “Awww, you’re so welcome, dear Tobio-chan!”

Before he can be any weirder, I get outta there and back to my truck. I only have one load of cargo to deal with today, and as soon as it’s done, I’m heading right to the recycle shop!

I’m working with Watari and Iwaizumi, and they’re at the drop off location before me. I actually got something to eat before getting here, or I would’ve been earlier. Iwaizumi gives me a look when I step out of my truck to meet them in the parking lot. “You survived?” He asks.

“What did he survive?” Watari laughs.

“Had a meeting with Oikawa this morning. I’m alive.” I nod. “I’m getting time off.”

Iwaizumi checks his phone. “Well, that explains our revised schedule.” He hums. “Is this a reward, or a punishment?”

“You’ve never taken time off!” Watari smirks.

I shrug. “It’s more like a favor to me.”

“Oikawa doesn’t do favors.”

“Is this about your performance lately?” Iwaizumi crosses his arms. “Or whatever’s been going on with you?”

I shrug again. “I mean, I guess? He’s giving me time to figure things out. Off the clock things.”

Watari nods. “So this is about that little redhead.”

“I didn’t say that!”

They both laugh. “You didn’t have to!” Iwaizumi shakes his head. “Anyway, good for you, man. Hope things work out for the best.”

“Yeah, time for you to be happy off the road, too.” Watari agrees.

Does that mean I seem unhappy when I’m not working? I always thought I had everything I needed, everything I wanted, right in front of me. Everything that made me happy was in the cab of my truck and on the road. Things were so easy, but now, none of it feels the same. Suddenly everything I lived for feels pointless and I hate it. I hate that I’m sad and lonely and empty when just a month ago, I had no idea what those felt like when I was behind the wheel. It’s just like that little freak to make things annoying and complicated!

When we’re done for the day, I hurry to get back to my truck. “What’s the hurry, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi calls after me.

“I gotta go see him.”

He shakes his head. “Not like that!” Like what? He laughs. “I mean, you haven’t been sleeping or eating, and it shows.”

“Maybe you should shower, too.” Watari smirks.

“My sister’s out of town.” I think she won’t be back for a couple days, actually. “That’s where I normally stay.”

Iwaizumi shakes his head. “Well, the husband isn’t that generous, so I won’t even offer. Maybe you can call your sister and see if something can be arranged? If this is a grand romantic gesture, you should be rested and in clean clothes at the least.”

I get it, I look like shit! I sigh, pulling my phone out. “I have a spare key. I’ll see.”

“Good idea!” Watari waves, turning to walk away.

“Why do you guys care, anyway?”

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes. “Isn’t that what friends and coworkers do? See one of their own acting out of sorts, then help them out how they can?” He shrugs. “Anyway, let me know if you need a ride somewhere. I’ll be at the office until closing.”

“Okay.” I wave goodbye and hop up in my truck. It probably is a good idea to try and get some rest, and maybe figure out what I’m gonna say when I get to the shop. Should I bring a gift? Is that lame? Maybe I’ll just bring myself in case he hates me. I dial up my sister’s number, figuring I’ll head to the Blue Castle parking lot when I figure out the plan for tonight. While the phone rings, I pull the two pictures I keep on the visor down. One is me with Miwa and our grandpa, the other is the photo booth pictures from the pier.

“Tobio? Everything okay?” Miwa answers. “Clear your throat if something’s wrong. Wait, no, cough. Cough if something’s wrong and you can’t say so.”

I don’t cough, or clear my throat because I’m not being kidnapped, or whatever she thinks is going on. “No, I’m fine. I don’t know what you think is going on, exactly, but I’m alive and doing fine.” I feel myself smiling at the pictures, leftover happy from those times creeping in.

Miwa exhales. “Alright, good. No, it’s just because you never call.”

Never thought about it, but I guess that’s true. “Oh, right.”

“So what’s up? Need to do laundry, or something? You’ve got the spare key.”

I’m not sure where to even start. “Sort of. Do you have a second? There’s…it’s a long story.”

“Of course. Go for it.”

I lean back in my seat, head hitting the rest. “On one of my jobs, I had to drive a client. Like, I had to drive him around with me, on my route.”

She scoffs. “That’s unusual.”

“Yeah, his boss paid extra. So we were spending time together, getting to know each other, and it went from annoying to really fun.”

She hums. “Quite a development.”

“Well, I mean…there was more.”

“How long was this trip?”

I shrug, even though she can’t see me. “About a week. We got…really close.”

“So you need the place for you and your beau?”

“Miwa!” I whine. “Look, we got really close, but now we're not together, and I want to go see him, but I need to spend the night in a real bed with a real shower. I’m just checking with you that it’s fine I stay the night.”

She laughs. “Yes, it’s fine! Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend, though?”

“I don’t.”

“Kinda sounds like you do, but okay. Don’t forget to take the trash out when you leave.”

I sigh. “Okay. I’ll do that.”

“Not to pester you, but…you’re sure you’re alright? You sound pretty down.” She’s always been able to tell when I’m in a bad mood, even when nobody else can. “If you want, you can tell me anything.”

There is something bothering me. Even if I can win that shrimpy ball of sunshine back, I have a lot to think about. “I’m not sure about work anymore.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s always been something I loved, more than everything, and it’s all I ever thought about. But now, ever since I’ve been apart from him, it doesn’t feel the same. It’s like it hasn’t been fun like before. Driving just…I don’t know. I never thought I’d get tired of it.”

Miwa hums, thinking this over. “Do you think that’ll change when he’s back in your life?”

Honestly, I’m not sure. I hadn't thought about it. “Maybe? I don’t know. I’ve never not known about work.”

“Well, you remember how much I loved piano? I was always practicing and playing for Grandpa.” She was really good, but always said I was better. “It was pretty much my life, but when I got out of high school, it wasn’t my thing anymore.” That’s true. She stopped being into piano when she picked up a knife and cutting board. “It happens, and it’s not a bad thing. You remember what that was like, a little, when you got your license. Piano wasn’t your world anymore.”

She has a point. I wanted to show my grandpa that I could learn everything he had to teach about piano, but when I could hit the road like he did, I gave it all up. “I guess so.”

“I mean, what makes you happy now won’t always make you happy. Otherwise, we'd all be finger painting and doing cartwheels.” Miwa laughs. “It’s okay to want other things, especially if it’ll make you happy.”

Again, she has a point. Why bother with driving if it isn’t gonna make me happy anymore? Or maybe driving to far places, or driving alone, won’t make me happy like it used to, and then there’s no need to keep doing it. I’ve never had another job, but I’m sure I could find a new one if I needed to. Maybe when I feel better on the inside, I won’t need to change jobs, like Miwa said earlier. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen, but I do know that I can’t keep going on like this. Something has to change.

We talk for a little bit longer, talking about an idea she has for a restaurant she wants to open in the future. I mostly just listen, finding something safe about hearing her voice again.

When we hang up, I call Iwaizumi and he answers pretty quickly. “What’s up?”

“The parking space at my sister’s isn’t big enough for my truck. Are you able to give me a ride from the office?” I normally wouldn’t ask him for help, but he already offered and it’s more free than getting a rideshare. He also won’t hold it over me like his husband probably would, and that makes the decision a lot easier.

“Yeah, sure. You don’t mind stopping for food, right?”

If there’s a chance I’m getting a free meal, I’m all for it! “That’s fine with me.”

“Cool. Just message me when you’re at Blue Castle.” He yawns. “No way I’m cooking tonight.”

It must be nice, in a weird way, to have that discussion with someone. Who’s making dinner? What’ll be eaten? Is takeaway the better option? Will it be settled through rock, paper, scissors, or some kind of schedule? “Makes sense.” I start my truck. “I’ll be there soon, then. Thank you.”

“No problem!”

I don’t bother listening to anything on my way to the office. I might speed a couple times, but the faster I get to my sister’s place, the faster I can get ready for tomorrow. I park my truck by Iwaizumi’s car and send him a message, just like he said to, along with the address. He waves when he steps out of the building, and I meet him at the shiny black two door. “Thanks again. I owe you one.”

He shakes his head, unlocking it with the fob. “Nah, it’s nothing.”

“If you say so.”

Iwaizumi has his radio tuned to some rock station, new car scented air fresheners jammed into his vents and the passenger seat reclined. I want to adjust it, but I think I know who has it set at this angle and I’d rather not feel his wrath. The windows are tinted a lot, and a chain hangs from his mirror. I’ve seen this car countless times, but I’ve never been in it before. It’s weird to watch the town go by from this side of a vehicle. “You want fast food? It’s what’s for dinner.”

I nod. “Sure. Is that what Oikawa wanted?”

He laughs. “No, but it’s my turn to handle dinner and it sounds good to me!” They’ve been together forever, so I guess they know what they’re doing. Iwaizumi must know how to handle him if they’ve lasted this long. “He'll just be happy to be fed.”

“Is it weird to be married?”

“Not really. Nothing really changed.” He shrugs. “We've known each other almost all our lives, so we knew what we were getting into.”

How long should people know each other before really committing? Does it make sense for almost-strangers to start in on something serious? I sit on my hands to stop picking at my nail beds. “So…can it work out between people who haven’t known each other all their lives?” I’m a little younger than Iwaizumi, so I’m hoping he has something smart to say.

“You mean you and Hinata?” Okay, wasn’t hoping for that smart. “There’s always a chance, right?”

Well, I don’t know. That’s why I was asking! “I hope so.”

He scoffs. “I’ll tell you, if I’d met Tooru the way you met Hinata, we probably would’ve killed each other! That’s one hell of a way to get to know someone, and if you ended up wanting to be stuck with each other like that for longer, I’d think you were onto something good.” Iwaizumi holds a hand up. “Just saying.”

Not a lot of people could’ve enjoyed what we went through the way we went through it. “True.”

“Yeah, seriously. And I’ve seen you work with others for years, and no one sticks like this one has.” He pulls into a drive-thru, nodding towards the building. “Know what you want? My treat.”

“How many favors do you want me to owe you?”

He laughs but shakes his head. “It’s no big deal! You don’t owe me a thing.”

I guess I’ll just go with it. People don’t typically do nice stuff for me, and if they do, they want something in return, like milk bread. I knew Iwaizumi was nice, but I guess I just didn’t assume it would include me, too. I wonder how a nice guy like him ended up with Oikawa? Maybe that means Oikawa isn’t that bad. I mean, he did give me time off and a way to change my job just enough to make a relationship work.

Iwaizumi uses his phone to nav to Miwa’s flat, having me hold the drinks along the way. I ask him what he’s going to do when I’m not in the car anymore, and he reminds me that he drives smooth enough that they’ll be fine in the shallow drink holders. “Show off.” I smirk.

He laughs. “Just telling it like it is!” Iwaizumi ends the navigation, locking his phone but keeping it on his dash. “Need a lift tomorrow?”

I could take a bus, but I’ve actually…not hated riding with Iwaizumi. “Is that asking too much?”

“A little.” He smirks, holding a hand out. “I’ll be here at seven-thirty.”

I expect a handshake, but he slides his hand across mine and sorta grips it, squeezing my fingers in his. “Thanks. I’ll see you then!” I wave before shutting the door and watching him go. I take the stairs to the third floor and let myself in. The flat smells like pepper and lemons, just like it always does. The lights in the kitchen are the brightest in the flat, the rest pretty dim and tinted yellow. Every bit of furniture is either dark silver or black, and none of it came already put together. I know that because I pretty much assembled all of it by myself. I like the sofa, and how the arms are puffy like built in pillows. With my dinner in tow, I get comfortable against one of these cushiony arms and shovel food in my face. What am I supposed to pack? How long am I gonna be gone? I don’t even know where I’m staying. “Well, shit.” I sigh, leaning my head back against the sofa. I have so much to do, and all before the sun comes back up. Before I finish eating, I run to the room I keep my stuff in, pulling my bag from the closet. I stuff it with shirts and jeans and socks and underwear, and even a couple fancier shirts. Is what I wear important? Is it fine to show up in a tee and trainers? I have no idea what I’m doing. Like, no fucking clue, but I know this is what I need to do. If I’m rejected, I don’t know where that leaves me, but I need to try. Oikawa and Iwaizumi seem to think things will go right, and I need that to be true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi wasn’t even going to be in this update, but he kept popping up and I just went with it XD Anyway, next chapter, we've got auto theft, piano playing and door knocking


	17. Door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was writing this, the final chapter of HQ came out and I’ll admit, I got a little emo ;_; No spoilers, it’s just hard to accept something so great ending, eh?

As soon as my alarm goes off, I’m up and moving. I swear, I’ve never brushed my teeth and showered so fast in my life! Once I’m dressed, I take my trash from last night out and lock up. It’s only when I’m halfway down the first flight of stairs that I remember my bag is packed and ready to go at the foot of the bed. “Damn." I run back, throwing the bag over my shoulder, and rush down the steps again. This time, I’m on the second flight of stairs when I remember that I didn’t lock the door that last time. “Damn it!” I run back, checking that I’ve got all my things, my trash, my keys, Miwa's key and that the door is locked. “Okay, shit.” I sigh, running back down the stupid stairs. Again. I almost slip on more than one step, but I’m too excited to even care. I just keep running until I’m out the door, scanning the lot for the shiny black two door that dropped me off yesterday, after visiting the garbage bin. When I check my phone, I notice I’m a little early. If I was hungry, I’d probably have time to grab a bite for the road, but I’m not. I don’t feel like eating at all. I just want to get on the road and maybe start a new part of my life.

After forever, Iwaizumi shows up. I keep my bag up front with me and take the passenger seat. “Morning. You ready to go?” He asks. I nod.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” We hit the road, bumping into some typical commuter traffic, but not too much. “Do you and Oikawa not carpool to work?”

He shakes his head. “Not usually. He likes to be early and stay late since he’s the boss.” Iwaizumi smirks. “He thinks he’s setting some example for everyone else, but nobody even cares. I’ve told him a thousand times: worker bees don’t run on the same schedule as the queen. I let him be big, important Oikawa Tooru, and I get to sleep in.”

For some reason, this makes me laugh a bit. I guess I never thought of Oikawa as being…I don’t know, normal? He has worries and dumb things in his head like the rest of us. “Nice.”

“You actually look like you slept. I didn’t think you would, so that’s good.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “Well, big, exciting trip in the morning, rushing off to rope a boyfriend on a gamble…who could sleep?” He laughs, so I think he’s joking on some level. “No matter what, though, you should use this time off as a vacation. Like, get some rest. As long as I’ve known you, you’ve never taken time off.”

“I never felt like I had to.” I tell him. “Work never felt like work.”

Iwaizumi nods. “Well, just make sure you take care of yourself. I don’t wanna have to take over your shifts forever.” He’s smirking again, so he must be kidding. I smirk back.

One of the other cars in the Blue Castle parking lot is a dark blue, the paint fading in places. I think it’s Kindaichi’s, but it might be Kunimi's. It’s hard to know since they're always together. Another car nearby is silver with a neon green stripe down the sides, windows even darker than Iwaizumi’s. That’s Oikawa’s, and it’s always under the shadiest trees. I’ve never been in either of these cars, but I bed the interiors are a lot different from each other. Oikawa probably keeps his vacuumed and smelling like fancy cologne and the Kindaichi-or-Kunimi car probably has footprints on the dash and napkins on the floor.

“Thanks for the ride.” I do the handshake thing with Iwaizumi when we’re parked and standing on the sidewalk. “And dinner. And the advice.”

He smiles. “What advice?” His phone buzzes, so he checks it. “Duty calls. Take it easy, alright? I’ll see you.”

I wave as he goes inside. My drive shouldn’t be very long, but I want to start it as soon as possible, so I run to my truck and toss my bag on the passenger seat. A quick inspection should be good for now, and everything looks fine to me! I climb in, fixing my phone to give me directions to the shop on the quickest route available. A far off rumbling interrupts me picking music. Leaning forward, I look towards the sky. Dark clouds are moving in, but if I move fast, I’m sure I can beat them! I start up my music, turn the key and back out just enough to— “KAGEYAMA TOBIO!” I’ve never heard my name shouted like that. Standing on the sidewalk, right in front of me, is a frustrated Oikawa, waving his hands to get my attention. “No, no, no!”

“Shit.” I mumble, getting my truck back in its parking spot and shutting the engine off. When I get out, he rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything. “What?”

Oikawa blinks hard. “Are you kidding me?”

No matter what I say, it’ll be the wrong thing, so I shrug. “What?”

He rubs his temples. “You’re beyond stupid.” Oikawa gestures at my truck. “You can’t take a company truck on some booty call! What the hell are you thinking?”

“A what call?”

Oikawa sighs, rolling his eyes. “Give me your fucking keys.” He holds his hand out, wiggling his fingers. “Keys! Now.” I don’t want to, but I drop them in his open palm. “Not a chance you’re taking my property on your little quest! Is your brain broken in that thick skull of yours?”

“What’s the big deal?” I ask him. He scoffs.

“The big deal is called liability! What if something happens to it out there? It’s not on a scheduled route or on business. Who’s gonna have to pay for it, genius?”

Like he wouldn’t dock my pay. “If anything happened, I’d be responsible.”

“No.”

“Would you just give me my keys?”

“No!”

Someone clears their throat, and we both turn to see Iwaizumi looking confused and Kindaichi looking worried. “Everything okay?” Kindaichi asks.

“This clown thinks he can drive off with a company truck to go sweep his boyfriend off his feet.” Oikawa folds his arms over his chest, my keys still in his hand. “When I gave you time off, I didn’t mean vacation in the fucking truck!”

I sigh. “What else am I supposed to drive?”

Oikawa holds his hands up. “Not my problem.”

Iwaizumi hums. “We gotta have something to loan.”

“Iwa-chan!”

“Here.” Kindaichi steps towards me, holding out a set of car keys. “You can take my car.”

None of us say anything for a second. They’re probably shocked, but I’m just confused. “What? Why?”

Kindaichi smiles. “You have someone waiting for you, and if you need a set of wheels to get to him, well, I guess you got it.” He takes my hand and drops the keys in it, curling my fingers around them. “Here. Don’t wreck it, Kageyama.” He takes a step back with a nod.

I don’t even know what to say. We’re never this nice to each other. I mean, the two of us aren’t mean, either, but we’ve always just…been there. Kindaichi and Kunimi have always been super close, laughing and working together, and I’ve always been somewhere off to the side, with them but not with them. Maybe we don’t need to know birthdays and favorite colors to be nice and call each other a friend. “Thank you.” I finally say. “What do I owe you?”

“Nothing.” Kindaichi waves a hand. “Just keep the tank filled and bring it back in one piece when you get to town.”

“Am I really the only one who asked Tobio for something in return for a favor?” Oikawa glares at the others.

Kindaichi sorta smiles. “I guess?”

Iwaizumi laughs, throwing his arm around Oikawa. “You’re a real saint, angel!”

I want to stay and laugh at our boss with them, but I really have to get going. “Thanks again. I gotta go.” I run to my truck to get my bag, pulling my two pictures from the visor down before running to Kindaichi’s car. “Lock it up for me, will you?”

“Yes, your majesty.” Oikawa makes a face at me.

“Have a good time, Kageyama!” Iwaizumi waves. “We'll see you when you get back!”

“Have fun!” Kindaichi waves, too.

I wave to them, getting behind the strange wheel. Like I thought, the passenger side dash has dusty prints, I’m assuming from Kunimi putting his feet up like an animal, but the floor is pretty clean with no crumpled napkins around. It smells a little bit like fruit and something sweet, and I’m kinda surprised by how clean the windows are. Maybe Oikawa has a messy car, after all, littered with Iwaizumi’s fast food wrappers, or something. It’s not my car, but I tuck my two photos into the mirror clip on the visor, leaving it open so I can look up and see the smiling faces of the people I care about most. When I look out, the three guys are still there, sending me off. It looks like they’re excited for me, which is…weird. Weird, but nice, I think. I honk the horn once, backing out and finally getting out of this parking lot.

For some reason, I keep adjusting my grip on the wheel. It doesn’t feel comfortable without my driving gloves, but I guess it’s whatever. Good thing I adjusted the seat before driving, or that’d probably bother me, too. Actually, it might be a little too far from the wheel, so I move just a tiny bit closer to the edge of the seat. Are the mirrors angled right? The air is hitting me too directly. Ugh. My nerves are all over the place! In my truck, I was going to find something to listen to, so I pick up where I left off. The songs I flip through don’t feel right, and I run out of skips, but silence feels worse. For the first time, I wish I had someone around to pick music for me.

Even though I haven’t eaten, I’m not hungry. My body just isn’t feeling like food. It reminds me of when I got my license. Part of me was all too excited to be one step closer to following my grandpa’s footsteps, ready to get going on my dream. Another part of me was scared out of my damn mind, worried I’d screw something up and never be able to move forward with my life. The mix of feelings left me with a lot of weird energy and jitters, a lot like I feel right now. I want to make things right and get back to that good place, but I can’t do it if I’m the only one with these feelings, ready to move forward. It’s scary, but also really exciting.

The clouds look to get darker the further I get from Blue Castle, looming and thick. I know there was a chance of rain where I was, but that probably means rain for where I’m going. I don’t have an umbrella or a jacket, but it’s too late to think about what I should’ve packed now. Glancing at my speed, I figure I can go a little faster and still be within the legal limit. I just have to get there as soon as possible.

That nagging feeling that something could go wrong hits hard as soon as the shop comes into view, the same sight as that day I had to leave. I would’ve come all this way for nothing, which means I wasted Kindaichi’s time and took his car for nothing. It’d mean I got relationship advice and bummed rides off Iwaizumi for nothing. That'd also mean I spilled my guts to Oikawa, getting time off and sympathy from him, owing him gifts and a good attitude, all for nothing. I’ll have given up work and my truck and the road for no reason. I can’t have this blow up in my face. I just can’t.

I only see a couple cars in the lot when I pull up, and I try to park away from all of them since I promised to keep this car in one piece. The building looks a lot bigger than I remember it. They’re supposed to fill it up? Did they manage to squeeze more than it looked like into the cargo I dropped off? No way it’ll be a full store! Well, I do want to see for myself, but I also have more important things to think about. It isn’t raining yet, but I hear thunder rumbling in the distance, so I rush across the parking lot. There's no sign saying the store is open or closed, but there’s a huge banner under the sign that says the grand opening is coming soon. The lights are definitely on inside, and a little wedge of wood is propping the door open. I’m sure I’m not supposed to go inside but I don’t see anyone around to stop me. I slowly push the door open just enough to squeeze through. Immediately to my right, there’s a piano framed in chipped wood, sitting there with the lid open with a matching bench. The last time I saw a piano was…ages ago. They must’ve had a nearby donor drop it off, or something, because that thing was never in my truck. I sit in the middle of the plush bench, hands hovering over the keys.

My grandpa was a strict teacher. He made sure me and Miwa took care of our hands and fingers, and I obsessed over making him proud. I never did anything that could harm my hands, and I always took good care of my nails. My grandpa told me that yeah, he was glad I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, but I should be glad, too. I should want the best for myself so I can be the best at what I do. I think playing the piano was his way of showing us that a beautiful thing can be mastered with time and practice, but it doesn't mean shit if it doesn’t make you happy. We played and practiced and learned, but it wasn’t for him. It was to make ourselves proud to have done something special.

Memorizing pieces and reading music was fun, but the most fun I had on the piano was improvising. I got to learn each note so well that I knew where to put my fingers to make them individually, and then together. I never wrote anything down or made anything seriously, but it was always fun to just play around and let whatever notes happen. At first, I think I’m only remembering these old sounds, but when I blink, I realize that I’ve actually been playing. Who knows for how long and what came out, but my fingers are flying and my feet are moving along the pedals with them.

“Hello?”

The strange voice makes me jump, hitting several clashing notes before pulling my hands away. “Hi. S-sorry.” I stammer.

The man has dark, neat hair and big tired eyes. He smiles, taking a step closer. “No, it was lovely! What was that?”

“I…I don’t know.”

“Forgot the title?” He asks. I just blink, and he hums. “Making it up as you go, then?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“You’ll always get something interesting that way.” He puts a hand on the piano. “Are you interested in it?”

“I used to play, but…not anymore.”

“It’s a good price, is all. It’s in great condition.” He points to the price tag. “Even if you were interested, I couldn’t sell it to you today. We're not open yet.”

Oh, right! I’m here for a reason. “Is your manager here?”

He blinks, still looking sleepy. “The manager? What exactly…do you need here?”

“Um…” I look around, eyes passing over the rows and rows of clothes, the shelves of shoes and books and home goods, the setups of furniture and toys. I’ve seen bits and pieces of all of it, but I didn’t know it’d look like this. I stand, roaming the aisles of albums and discs and even tapes of music. It looks cool, like someone put them in groups by artists and genres but also colors. I brush my finger across a few covers, having seen them before.

“Sir!” The dark-haired man follows me past the books and to the toys. “Sir, you can’t be in here like this. We technically aren’t open, which technically makes this trespassing!”

There’s the hula hoop I learned to master! And there’s the skateboard I almost flipped, and the skates I helped untie. I even see the dartboard, the darts in a bag taped to the back, and the chess set that ended up getting looked over which is fine because the paint is chipping anyway. “Wow.” I reach out to touch, but the man taps my shoulder.

“I'm sorry, but I think you have to leave.” He tells me.

“No!” I can see how that might sound threatening right after the word comes out. “I mean, no, I wanted to see your manager. Can you get him for me?”

He exhales. “What is it that you need?”

“The manager!”

For some reason, he nods, slowly. “I see.”

Some footsteps come closer, two other men joining us. One has a broom in hand, holding it like a weapon, and the other’s tall with a face that could probably be used as a weapon. “What’s going on here?” The broom one asks. The tall one says nothing but glares.

“We have a…a guest today.” The dark-haired one sighs.

The tall one raises a brow. “A guest?”

“To see our manager.” The dark-haired one says the last word slowly, like that’ll help them understand what the word means, or something.

“You mean the guy?” The tall one asks.

The broom one sets his weapon down, frowning. “The guy? Which guy?” The other two stare at him, like talking with their eyes, until the broom one gets it. His big eyes grow bigger, and that’s when I remember we've met before, but I forgot his name. “I remember you!” He says.

“This is the Kageyama Tobio.” The dark-haired one says.

“King of the road.” The tall one crosses his arms.

Outside, thunder rumbles, louder this time. The short one points the broom handle near my face, now scowling. “You’ve got some nerve showing up here, jerk! Unannounced, making demands to see Hinata. Who do you think you are?” He asks.

“He’s obviously used to his subjects bending to his will.” The tall one smirks. “We're not in your kingdom now.”

“Explain yourself!” The broom one shouts.

The dark-haired one puts a hand up. “Easy, Noya. We'll let him try and explain his side and go from there.” He lowers his hand when Noya lowers the broom. “Good. Now. What business do you have here, Kageyama Tobio?”

“I just wanna see him.”

“For what reason? Haven’t you done enough?” The tall one asks.

That’s exactly why I have to see him! “I'm trying to fix that.” I nod.

“How?” Noya asks.

“Just…can I see him? I need to talk to him.”

The dark-haired one shakes his head. “If you’re only going to hurt him, we won’t let you.” He shrugs before I can say a word. “We won't let you play with his emotions for another second.”

I don’t know what they’ve heard, but they’ve got it all wrong! “I never played with him! Everything that happened with us was real.”

“Yeah.” The tall one scoffs.

“Sure.” Noya rolls his eyes.

“I’m serious.” I have nothing to prove to them, but they’re standing in my way until I can get them to trust me. “I never wanted to leave, but I had to. It wasn’t fun and I hated it, but I work on the road. I didn’t have a choice.”

They start to walk away from me, like the conversation’s over. “There’s always another way.” Noya mumbles.

“What else was I supposed to do? Take him away from this job, the new one he can’t shut up about?” I follow them near the clothing section. “I’d never do that to him, or make him choose.” So many shirts.

“So you made the choice for him?” The tall one asks, leaning on a rack.

“That’s not…” Do I see a turquoise blue tee for sale? That color looks so familiar, but I never expected to see it here. My stomach churns, blood going cold as I reach out for it. When I tug the shirt into view, it has some weird pattern on a pocket and a logo I’ve never seen before. I breathe out, not realizing I’d stopped, and let go of the unfamiliar shirt. “Can I see him? I need to talk to him and fix all of this.”

The dark-haired one sighs. “What could you possibly say to change anything?”

“Things are different now.” I flinch at the thunder roaring closer. “There’s time, and I want to see if we can work it out. Sometimes I don’t think there’s a way, but I have to try.”

The three exchange looks, talking with their eyes again. Noya frowns. “He’s not here.”

“Where is he?”

The tall one glares from behind his glasses. “At home. Away from you.”

I get the feeling they’re not gonna be helpful unless I prove that I’m serious here. I take a deep breath. “If you tell me where to find him, I can explain what happened and try to make it up to him. I don’t know how it’ll go, but I’m here and willing to do whatever I need to.” Even if I’m rejected, I need to let him know I’m miserable without him. I miss him.

“Okay, Kageyama.” The dark-haired one sighs. “Don’t make us regret this.”

They give me an address and an umbrella and practically push me out the door. I refuse the umbrella, though, pointing out that it’s not raining yet and I couldn’t possibly accept anything more from them. By the time my navigation gets me to my destination, the rain is in full force around me and I don’t even have a sweatshirt. “Okay.” I take a couple breaths, parking beside a little faded yellow car that’s crooked in the driveway. The house is small, roof almost orange and shutters a gold-ish tone. I can’t see much else through the wet windshield, but I guess it doesn’t matter. I inhale, exhale one more time and open the door. Even though I run, I’m soaked through by the time I make it to the front step. The mat by the door has a smiling sun on it, and I try not to step on its face. My hands have gone cold, a little shaky from the adrenaline and the rain. I rub them together, sort of curling in on myself to stay warm, but it does no good. I’m sure I look a mess, and I try to get my hair off my forehead and away from dripping into my eyes, but there’s no use. I can do this. I have to do this, no matter what happens. I have to try. I ring the doorbell, then knock at the door, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

“Be right there!” A voice I know so well calls from somewhere inside. I can hear footsteps, something bump or fall, thunder, more footsteps. The door finally opens. There’s the orange hair I’ve missed ruffling. There are those bright eyes I’ve missed looking into. There are those chapped lips I’ve missed kissing, the hands I’ve missed holding, the man I’ve missed loving. And there, in front of my eyes, is the Blue Castle shirt I thought I might not see again. When I shiver, I remember I’m freezing, but the sight in front of me makes it a helluva lot more bearable!

“Shouyou.” It comes out as almost a whisper, but I know he hears me. We’re standing too close for him to not have heard. I take a tiny step closer, wanting to reach out and touch him to make sure he’s real. Why isn’t he saying anything? His face hasn’t changed from looking like he’s seen a ghost, but I know he sees me. “Shouyou?” I try again. He blinks, coming back to life, then takes one step back and slams the door shut. The rain doesn’t let up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Were you expecting that ending? Hahha next chapter: clean clothes, hot chocolate and cut sandwiches from Hinata POV


	18. Set

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a longer update!

None of this has been fair at all! First Tobio makes me like him, which wasn’t fair because I had no say in it. Then he has to leave which was even more unfair because it hurt my heart and made me sad. Then he just shows up, out of nowhere, which is super unfair because I never even had a chance to prepare for it! My house is kinda messy, I haven’t showered, I’m wearing his shirt, I have so much to say but no idea where to even begin and I can’t leave him out there to drown in the rain or get struck by lightning. Ugh! I press my forehead to the door, letting thunder rattle around me, and take a few deep breaths. Being with Tobio is the best and I’d like to hug and kiss him and tell him how much I missed being together, but I’ve been hurting. He could’ve called, or replied to my message, or visited when he had a day off, and him leaving was just awful. He has to know that, and I have to know that he cares the way I do. Of course, Tobio’s dumb and didn’t bring an umbrella to a storm, so I shouldn’t leave him out there for too long. He won’t care about the messiness in here, I know, but I still wish I could’ve prepared for him to visit! I sigh, pulling the door open again, but not moving out of the way. His eyes look so dark, his skin so pale. Tobio is gorgeous, even soaking wet and shivering. “Shouyou?” He tries again.

“Awfully brazen of you to just show up here.” I cross my arms.

He brushes some hair off his forehead. “I looked for you at the shop, but you weren’t there.”

“You did?” I guess I assumed he’d never go back there after he dropped me and the cargo off. “Why?”

“Where else was I supposed to find you? I didn’t have your address.” He wipes at his nose. “That sleepy looking guy gave it to me after Ni…Noya? The short one. After he threatened me with a broom.” By sleepy guy, he must be talking about Ennoshita. He’s cleaning up with Noya and Tsukki today, and there’s no way the others would’ve ever given him my address. “I just…I had to see you.”

I nod, eyes on a flash of lightning off in the city. “Well, you see me.”

Tobio blinks, biting his lip. “Yeah. I didn’t know if I ever would again.”

Even though I’m a little mad at him, I’ve missed him so much. I can’t leave him out here like this. “You’re shivering.” I sigh, stepping to the side. “Come in.” He rushes past me, slipping his shoes off at the mat and rubbing his hands together. “Why didn’t you bring a jacket, at least?”

“I just wanted to get here.”

“Wait here.” I tell him. I head to the hall closet, pulling a clean towel and a fluffy robe down. I’m not sure it’ll fit him, but it’s better than being in wet clothes! He nods when I hold the stuff up to him. “I’ll put your stuff to dry.” Even though I’ve seen him naked before, I try not to stare when he takes his clothes off. I keep his wet things in one hand and he takes the dry things from the other. “I’ll be right back. You can sit on the sofa, but just make sure you’re dry.” There’s nothing else in the dryer, so I set the machine for cotton stuff and add some dryer sheets. When I get back to the living room, Tobio is in the robe and in the middle of the couch, messing his hair up with the towel. “It’ll be a while.” I nod.

“Okay.”

I sit on the arm since he’s left no room to sit next to him unless I wanna be half in his lap. “You could’ve messaged me back.” I remind him.

“I thought this…this made more sense to me.” Tobio sighs. “A message didn’t seem like enough.”

I scoff. “Okay.”

His eyes are such a pretty blue. “I’m here.”

“And I don’t know what to do about that.” I shake my head. “Now what? We pretend like nothing happened? Like we didn’t spend that time apart?” I can’t ignore the hurt I felt! “Do you know what that did to my brain? Being left like that?”

Tobio shakes his head. “I didn’t want to leave you!”

“But you did! You had your reasons, but you still did it, Tobio, and never looked back.” I close my eyes for a second. “And I felt…stupid.”

“Why?”

“Because! It was like you did whatever you wanted just to up and leave, and I was stupid to think it was more.”

He frowns, tossing the towel aside. “Don’t say that! I already told you, it wasn’t nothing for me, you dumbass. It wasn’t meaningless, and you know it.” Tobio sighs. “I didn’t want to go, but I had to! I couldn’t take time off, and you know my job takes me all over the place. I wasn’t gonna make you sit around and wait for me to show up who knows when.”

“But I would have!” I stand up, upset all over again. “I would’ve sat around forever waiting for you if it meant you’d come back to me.” Doesn’t he get that?

Tobio turns to me, gripping the arm of the couch. “I wouldn’t have let you! Shouyou, how’s that supposed to make me feel? I go off and live my life knowing that you’re on hold, not knowing when I’ll come back? That’s not what I want for you.”

“What about what I want?”

“What?”

“I wanted you!” I tug on my hair, frustrated. “I wanted you, you idiot! I would’ve settled for a promise, an agreement that we’d stay together, something so I wouldn’t have to live without you. Distance or not, we could’ve tried! Who knows how things would be now?”

We ignore the thunder, the flash of lightning. “I didn’t want that.”

“What about me?”

“It’s because of you!” Tobio gestures at me. “This is your fault for making me want to be with you in the first place.” He shakes his head. “I was just trying to do my job, not fucking fall in love! That was never the plan because I know I can’t make it work with what I do, driving everywhere and never sticking around. But it happened, and I wasn’t going to put you through any more than I already had to.”

I rub my eyes, feeling defeated. “But you didn’t have to at all!”

“I don’t know how to do long distance, dumbass! It wouldn’t have worked out, and you would’ve hated me for it. I would’ve hated me for it!” His shoulders fall. “It was either ruin our relationship forever or just end things then and there.” I don’t know what to say, so I stand there and watch the rain fall outside. Tobio sighs. “Don’t you think I would’ve done anything to make it work? It killed me to go.”

“You didn’t act like it.”

He blinks, mouth parted. “What?”

“You never acted like you cared! You just peaced out and I never heard from you again. What else was I supposed to think?” I sound whiny and pathetic, but I’m sad and mad and I don’t know what to do. “You never said a word to me!”

Tobio flops his forehead on the arm of the sofa, groaning. “And say what?”

“Anything!”

He peeks up. “That would’ve made everything worse! Like, a million times worse.”

I rub my forehead, having thought the same thing before. “Maybe, but so what?”

“It would've been torture for both of us!” Tobio sits up, shaking his head. “Any time I wanted to reach out, it hurt, and I didn’t want you to hurt, too. It was the best thing for us, not just me!”

It sounds stupid, but that’s not what I wanted. “I never asked for that.”

“What're you talking about?”

“I never asked for what you thought was best. I just wanted you, even if it was hard.”

Tobio scoffs, rolling his eyes. “You’re such a dumbass! You wanted me to make you even more miserable so you’d know I cared? What the hell sense does that make?”

“Yes! At least then I’d know you still cared about me.” I guess I just wanted to feel wanted, even if we couldn’t see each other. “And what sense does you coming back here make?” I roll my eyes back at him. “We still can’t be together, stupid.”

He throws the towel at me, hitting me right in the face. “Shows what you know!”

Yuck! I let it fall to the floor, hands on my hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I found a way.”

Wait, he did what? I glance over at the window where a flash just lit the sky. Is this what he’s here for? To get back together? “I thought there was no way.”

“I did, too.”

I fold my arms over my chest. “Okay? So? What happened to that?”

“I had a talk with Oikawa.” Tobio shrugs. “He…he heard I wasn’t doing well, and I thought he was gonna fire me, but he gave me time off. He said when I get back, he can schedule me for nearby deliveries and loan me to your boss if he wants.”

“He said that?” I can barely hear my own voice, but Tobio hears it. He nods. “But why?”

“I’m not sure, but I owe him.”

I wonder what made Oikawa talk to Tobio. Did he seem upset, or was he not doing good work anymore? Was me being gone really a big difference in his performance? Outside, the storm keeps hitting. It’s a little chilly in here, and I should probably get Tobio something warm so he doesn’t get sick. “I have hot chocolate.” I think out loud, heading for the kitchen. Everything seems to be falling into place, exactly where I wanted it, but part of me feels unsettled. Tobio’s life has been on the road for years. What if he gets tired of the same views and decides he wants to go back to longer routes? What’ll keep him here, and keep him from picking up and leaving again? I pour two cups of hot water out and stir powdered chocolate in, slowly twirling the spoon to make a whirlpool. I trust Tobio, I do, but I don’t want to hurt like before. “It’s still hot.” I tell him when I set the mugs down on the table.

He nods. “Thanks.”

“Yeah.” I lean against the couch, elbow on the arm. “Why’re you here? Really.”

“What do you mean?”

I sigh, turning to the window. “Are you here to say sorry? To clear your conscience? To…I don’t know, check that I don’t hate you?” His eyes look stormy, like the clouds outside, when I look back at him. “Why’d you come here today?”

“To try again.”

“So you show up, unannounced and uninvited, say everything is fine and I’m supposed to take that as a green light?” I shake my head. “Just like that, I take you back?”

He huffs. “Shouyou.”

“Who says I even want you back?”

Tobio only blinks. “You’re wearing my shirt.”

Damn, that’s true! “It’s a nice shirt!”

“What do you want from me?” He grabs my wrist, touch a little cold. “What am I supposed to do so you can trust me and why I’m here?”

He once told me there was no trust between us, that there wasn’t even an ‘us.’ That was before working together and holding hands and sharing clothes and sleepy kisses. That was when we were strangers. We may have only spent a short amount of time together, but we're far from strangers now! I know which side of the bed he prefers to sleep on, the way he laughs when he’s having fun, how soft his lips are, what he likes to eat in the morning. I put my hand over his, shutting my eyes. “Just…stay.” I don’t think I said that loud enough, so I clear my throat and look him in the eye. “I want to know that you won’t leave again, that you really want to stay and be with me.” Those eyes are so blue. “I know you’ll have to get back on the road again, but…emotionally, I want you to stay with me."

“I’m here! I said I want to try again and I already talked to my boss. I’m serious.” Tobio puts his other hand on mine, the one that’s covering his hand over my other hand. “Please?”

I’ve never heard him sound like this, so unsure and timid. I hated being apart, and I’m ready for that part of my life to be over. I’m just ready to be together! “I can’t believe you’re here!” I throw my arms around him, shoving his back to the couch. He laughs, pulling me in for a hug. “Here, in my house, on my couch, in my robe! You're here!”

“Took long enough.” Tobio squeezes tight. “But I’m here.”

“You are.” I sigh, nuzzling into his chest. He doesn’t smell a lot like Tobio since he’s in my clothes, but I can definitely smell some of his natural scent at his neck. “You’re here.” I think I’ve repeated myself a lot, but I can’t believe it! Sure, I was annoyed and stuff with him, but I’m annoyed at him a lot. It doesn’t mean I care about him any less every time we disagree. And besides, I’m just happy to be with him! “Finally.” I shut my eyes, relaxing into his grip.

His body flattens when he breathes out. “Can we stay right here?” Tobio whispers.

“Sure.” I don’t care that I haven’t showered or that our hot chocolate is getting cold. Being so close to him is what I’ve been missing since he left, and it’s what we both want right now. We stay hugging like this for a while, just sharing the same space with the storm passing over the house. It’s nice to be held in warm arms again! “Hey, Tobio?” I wait for him to hum to keep talking. “I’ve never sat on a sofa with you before.”

He hums again. “You’re right.”

“I guess there’s a lot we haven’t done together.”

“Like what?”

I shrug. “I haven’t driven you anywhere, or cooked with you.” I can think of a lot more, I’m sure! “Um, we haven’t seen a full movie together, or ridden bikes together. I haven’t shown you around the house, or the town.” I guess we’ve done a lot of other things together, though. “We haven’t been to a park or out for drinks. Or on a real date. Unless you count any of the stuff we did on the trip?”

“What about the pier?”

“We hadn’t even kissed yet!”

He laughs. “You can go on a date and not kiss!” Well, I guess that’s true. “We dressed up for that one dinner.”

Also true! “Oh yeah, we did do that.”

“We haven’t slept in past morning.”

“You do owe me some sleep, buddy.” I poke him in the side. “You should probably get some rest, too. This is your first vacation, right?”

He nods. “First time I’ve taken off work.”

“For me?” I smile at him, but he just ruffles my hair. “It was just a question!” I swat his hand away, trying to sit up a bit. “I wanna know if I’m special.”

Tobio rolls his eyes, sort of sitting up, too. “You have to ask?”

“Maybe I’d just like to hear it.”

He huffs out a breath, cupping my face with a firm grip. “I’m here just for you, Shouyou, because everything sucked without you.” His eyes make my breath hitch, so dark and deep and intense. I’m not cold, but I shiver. “Happy?”

I mean, yeah, but it doesn’t seem like the time to brag about it. Not when I’m in his grasp, under that gaze, pressed against his half-clothed body. “Kiss me?” I don’t mean it as a question, but that’s how it sounds. Tobio does kiss me, hard and good, like we don’t need to be two separate people, or even need to breathe. I’ve missed this so much! My fingers through his hair, my mouth tasting his, my heart racing, lungs panting. He pushes my shirt up, skimming across my skin with firm touches. He gives my chest a lot of attention, knowing I’m sensitive there, and hums against my lips. I push the robe off his shoulders, and he lets it pool in his lap. I wasn’t sure I’d get to do this again, so I take my time remembering every inch of Tobio. Gradually, his hands travel further down my body after slipping my shirt off, running along my sides and to my hips. “Almost forgot how good you taste.” I wipe the corner of my mouth while he pulls my shorts down and off.

“I won’t let you.” Tobio kisses me again, leaving a slow line of wet kisses down my neck. Again, he spends a lot of time on my chest, nipping and tasting and marking me down my torso. “I missed you so much.” His mouth keeps working its way further down, making me gasp. I think I’m gripping his hair too hard, but it’s his fault for making me feel so good! Actually, I got so caught up in my body feeling amazing, I forgot to pay attention to his. I toss the robe off the sofa, digging my fingers into his hips. He whines a little, arching his back into the trails I mark down his spine and over his ass. “I wanted you, every day.” The way he moans at my touch is almost too much for my overheating body. I’ve never heard such an amazing sound! I try to get him to do it again, and again, and he only stops to bite at my shoulder. “Fuck, I want you.” Tobio mumbles against my neck. He pushes me back, settling on my lap. His skin is flushed in places, porcelain in others, covered in a light sheen of sweat. Grumpy, indifferent Tobio is a needy mess because of me. It does make me feel some kind of way, but I don’t have a lot of time to think about it. "Now." When his hips get to moving, there’s no stopping him! He’s ruthless, wild, moaning curses and my name with almost every breath he takes. I’ve never seen him quite like this, but I guess this is what it's like to be missed by him. My brain turns to mush, the rest of me just trying to keep up with his pace. I feel like I’m made of lava, like I’m on fire. It’s like I want more, but what more could there be? I shift to sit up, against the arm of the couch, and wind an arm around Tobio’s waist. He throws his arms over my shoulders, pressing his forehead to mine. “I need you.” He whispers, eyes fluttering shut. Kageyama Tobio, the man who makes his living alone on the road, the one permanently without a partner, the one who says he’s fine without anyone or anything, needs me in his life. I’m speechless, so I use my mouth to kiss him, swallowing every noise he makes. The better everything feels, the closer I pull him to me, so by the time we’ve both had more than we can take, we’re practically crushing each other in a naked hug. Trying to catch my breath, I lean further back and take him with me, sorta lying down together again. “So. Tired.” He sighs next to me.

“You should be.” I laugh a little, draping the robe over us.

“No, I’m sleepy, too.” Tobio wipes his forehead. “I haven’t been sleeping a whole lot since…you know.”

We spent at least ten minutes arguing about him leaving, and now he can’t say the word? Maybe it really had been bothering him as much as it'd been bothering me. The only difference is I had an entire staff and crew of friends to help me through it. Tobio had his truck. “We can nap if you want.” I pull him closer, kissing his cheek. “But as soon as we wake up, it’s shower time. We’re all nasty.”

“Fine.” He’s a sight beside me, still pink in the face, sleepy and pouty, hair a mess. I never knew he could be so cute!

“Fine.” I breathe out, knowing I’m smiling like a crazed person, but also, I don’t care. I’m happy, and being this happy means super huge smiles! Tobio might be a big ol' cranky, but he’s also supportive and fun and he makes me feel at ease, like I’m safe to be myself to the fullest. I snuggle against him more, ready to nap with him on something more comfortable than his cab bunk.

It’s not the last roars of thunder that wake me, or the timer on the dryer. Nope. What wakes me is the racket going on in Tobio’s stomach, growling for food! He groans, shifting, but I laugh. “Hungry.” He mutters.

“I’ll feed you after we shower.”

“Food first.” Tobio bites my ear, proof he’s starving.

I swat at him. “I’m not lunch! Come on.” I yawn, moving to get up. “It’ll be quick.”

“Better be.” He lets me drag him up from the couch. “I’m starving! I haven’t eaten today.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I shake my head and walk us to the bathroom. “Let me show you the shower.” It’s not terribly large or fancy, but it does the job! The stream of water might be angled a little too low for Tobio, but he'll deal with it. “We'll be fast.” I start the water up, warm but not too hot, and gather up some towels.

He runs a hand over the pale yellow cloth, staring at the towels. “They’re soft.”

“Beats those cheap motel ones, right?” I smirk. I forget he’s not used to…well, normal stuff. He doesn’t get to sit on sofas or use fluffy towels or cook on a stove or even unpack his clothes! “Hey, Tobio?”

He tests the water, adjusting it before stepping in. “Yeah?”

“While you’re here, do you think you’d be up for living my way?” I ask as I follow him. I point out which bottle is the shampoo and which is the wash. “The way…you know, I played by your rules on our trip?” I soap him up, slow circles on his skin. I like when he leans into the touch.

“Okay.” Tobio lets me rinse him off, too, voice quiet. “Like what?”

I hum, thinking it over while he takes a turn washing me. “Like…sleeping in! And sitting down at the table for meals, and making food. I think that could be fun. Have you cooked before?” His hands are so soft. “Oh, and I’m definitely not letting you drive anywhere. You can be my copilot the whole time! And you don’t get to complain about how I drive, either, because you shut me down when I’d tell you to drive slower on turns or take better routes.”

He smirks, rinsing me off. “That didn’t stop you.”

Maybe that’s true, but whatever! “And we should go see a movie sometime. Maybe we can go dancing, too. I wonder if you brought anything to wear for that? I guess I can always take you shopping, or something, but you’ll have to show me what you have. I don’t think my stuff will fit right on you.” I notice he’s staring, and I don’t think he’s really listening anymore. I push my hair back, frowning a tiny bit. “Are you listening in there?” I poke his forehead. He nods with a little smile. What’s so amusing? “You’re staring.”

“I meant what I said earlier.”

He said a lot of things, so I’m not sure what he’s talking about. I mean, I assumed he was being honest with me this whole time, but the exact words in his head are a mystery. “What do you mean?” I shut the water off.

“I really…I really missed you.”

His face turns a little pink, and he kinda looks more at my chin than my eyes. It must’ve been hard to come out and say something so pure and honest! I pull him out of the shower with me, taking both of his hands. “I missed you, too.” When Tobio smiles, I melt inside. Seeing him happy is so nice! He kisses my forehead, then throws one of the plush towels over my head. “Hey!” I blindly swing at him while he messes up my hair, laughing at my misery. “Quit it!” I pull the towel off, throwing it at his face. He ties it around his waist, still smiling. “What?”

“I missed you.” He says again.

I guess missing someone means their good and bad, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss his jerk side, too. I pinch his nose, laughing at the weird sound he makes. “Missed you, too!”

His clothes are dry, so I get dressed and bring Tobio his things. “Why can’t I walk around naked? Are you expecting someone?” He frowns but slips his underwear on anyway.

“No, but that’s just what you do!” I shrug.

“Why?”

Even though I know it’s simply a custom, I don’t know how to explain it. Why wear shoes outside or a hat in the sun? Because! I hum in thought. “It just…is! I dunno, for decency? You can be naked all you want at bedtime, but clothes are for day time.” I nod. He does put his pants on, but rolls his eyes while doing it. “I was gonna do some grocery shopping today, so the kitchen’s not that full, but I can get something going for lunch.”

“What do you have?” His eyes grow, interested at the mention of food.

I laugh and take him by the hand to the kitchen. We go through the cabinets and shelves, and I let him explore the fridge and freezer. I have a list of stuff I need to get from the store, but maybe Tobio wants something special during his time here. “Anything you want when we go shopping?”

“We?”

I laugh, taking bread down from above the fridge. “Yeah! I’m taking you with me. When’s the last time you went shopping?”

Tobio leans against the counter and shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

“It’ll be fun!” I take two plates off the drying rack. “Is there stuff you want while we're there?”

He watches me make a few sandwiches while thinking it over. “Can we get pudding?” I nod. “How about pork?” I nod again, hoping he doesn’t want those things together. “And beer?”

“If you want.” I laugh. “Anything else?”

Tobio waits for me to cut a sandwich in half before taking a piece. “Well, what were you buying?”

I take our plates to the table, seating us diagonally from each other so we can share a corner. “Essentials.” I shrug. He starts eating, eyes on me while I talk. “Milk, rice, chicken nuggets, ice cream, eggs. The usual.” I stand up to get us something to drink. “Want water?” He nods yes, so I get him a glass. “I think we should get something nice for dinner today, too. You like curry, right?” He makes a funny sound with his mouth full, like urgent and insistent, and I laugh. “Right. We can make some later. Don’t choke, stupid!” I slide the glass over to him and start eating, too.

“You can cook that?” He asks. Now my mouth is full, so I nod. “I should stay here, then.”

“What do you mean?” I’m in the middle of chewing, so it doesn’t sound like words, but Tobio understands me.

“In your house. I can stay here, right?”

This guy sure can be weird! “Where else would you stay?” I assumed he drove here wanting to stay with me, but he doesn’t even have a bag with him. “Didn't you bring stuff with you?”

“Yeah, it’s all in the car.”

“What car?”

Tobio wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Kindaichi loaned me his car for a while. There are hotels nearby, and I wasn’t sure you’d want me here.” He shrugs. “But now that I’m staying, it sounds like I’ll be fed real well!”

I didn’t know he was such good friends with Kindaichi! That was nice of him to let Tobio borrow his car. “You’ll be helping me when I cook, though.”

He takes a big gulp of water. “Small price to pay.”

“Good. I have my grocery list on my phone…which is…” I look around the table, the counters, my nonexistent pockets. “Where’d that thing get to?”

Tobio takes another sandwich. “I think you left it by the couch.” He says with a full mouth.

“I’ll check!” I hit the table with my knee, rubbing the sore spot on my way to the living room. “Dumb table.” I grumble, spotting my phone on the coffee table. “Found you!” It still has plenty of battery left, but I’ve got a million notifications piled up. Looks like Ennoshita called, and Noya called, and Yamaguchi left a bunch of messages, then Noya left a bunch of messages. “What is all this?” Most of the messages sound like they’re worried about me, some sound like they’re warning me, all of them mentioning Tobio. Did something happen at the shop? “Um, did you show up at my work with an axe, or something?” I ask, sitting next to Tobio at the table again.

He blinks, frozen, for a second. “No…what?”

Without going to any particular message, I show him all my notifications. “The guys at work have been calling and messaging, and it sounds like they’re worried about you being here, or something.” I think I better call them soon, but I wanna hear Tobio’s side of things. “What exactly happened when you tried to find me?”

“I told you.” Tobio pouts. “They held me at broom-point. I said I wanted to talk to you, they tried acting tough and questioned me, I told them I wanted to fix shit, they told me your address.”

They heard about how happy I was on the trip, then saw how sad I was after it was over. My friends can be very protective, and I love them for that, but they’re worrying over nothing! I stand up again, wiggling my phone. “Okay, well, I’m gonna give these guys a call so they don’t send a search party and-or a hitman. Be right back!” I don’t feel like I need a lot of privacy, so I pace around the living room, calling Yamaguchi. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Oh my God, finally! I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for hours!” I think it’s been maybe two, if that. “Is everything okay?”

Yamaguchi bites his nails and his bottom lip and taps on any surface around him pretty often. He worries, and I know this, but this time, there’s no need! “Of course! Things are going great. Why wouldn’t they be?” Actually, he isn’t even at work today, so I’m not sure how he knew about Tobio being here in the first place.

“It’s just that I know Kageyama came looking for you, and I know he really hurt you even though you don’t think he meant to, and I know you really missed him, but he’s…I don’t know, a stranger in your house? And you weren’t answering your phone, so I wanted to check!”

“How do you know he’s here?”

Yamaguchi sorta laughs. “I mean, Tsukki’s at work. He was there when Kageyama showed up, and he said he didn’t like his attitude. I just don’t know this guy, and I know you really like him, but if Tsukki says he got weird vibes from a guy who hurt you, I wanna know that you’re doing alright with it all.”

I have such good friends! “I can always count on you, can’t I?”

“I’d like to think so!” He laughs. “So…things are okay now?”

“Yeah! Everything’s good and back to normal.”

“Just like that?” Yamaguchi clears his throat. “I mean, he apologized, right? And you two will work it out together?”

My feet are tired of walking around the room, so I sit on the couch. “We talked things through, yeah. And we’re both giving it a chance, even if it’ll be a tricky situation for a while. You know, getting the kinks out.” I shrug. “We have fun together, and we like being around each other. When he left, it wasn’t to be away. It was because he didn’t want to hurt me. He didn’t want to put us through something doomed to fail.” I really hope Yamaguchi can understand that. He’s one of my best friends, so I don’t want him to hate Tobio for what happened. “I really like him.”

Yamaguchi sighs, but he doesn’t sound bothered. “I know you do, and I want you to be happy. If he hurts you, though, you know I can get Noya and Tanaka to help me kick his ass.”

I laugh because this is true, but it’s also way unnecessary! “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine!”

“Okay.” He squeals. “I’m so glad things worked out! Every time you talked about him before, you sounded so happy, and it’s so good to hear that it’s back to being like that.”

“Aww, me, too!” I turn to look at the kitchen, catching Tobio licking his thumb. I wave, and he waves back. “Happy suits me much better than sad.” Tobio makes a face at me for no reason, so I make one back. “I can tell you more about what’s going on tomorrow, or the day after or something, okay?”

He hums. “Yeah, I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do with him. I’ll tell the guys all is well for you!”

Tobio makes a terrible face at me and I can’t hold back my laugh. “Thanks!”

“No problem! Take care and I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

“Yup! Stay Guchi.” I end the call, shaking my head at Tobio. “I can’t even stop laughing long enough to make a face back at you!” I just keep seeing how ridiculous he looked in my head and then the laughs come back. “That should be cheating.”

Tobio shakes his head, smirking. “Making you laugh doesn’t mean I’m cheating!”

“Whatever!” Even though I’m putting up a little fuss, I’m not bothered at all. Laughing with him feels good, feels normal, and I’m ready for a lot more of that today!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last regular chapter before the bonus epilogue. It features karaoke, stickers and bubbles, back to Kags POV


	19. Weird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing this chapter! You might notice it’s a little longer. ..or a lot longer hahha couldn’t control myself XD Enjoy!

Our time together won’t last forever because, again, I’ll have to go back to work. I don’t have unlimited days off, but it doesn’t feel like before. It doesn’t feel like something bad will happen when I leave Shouyou's side, or like my life will suck super hard again. I still kinda have that feeling where I want to get as much of him as possible while I’m here, but it doesn’t feel…heavy like before. It feels like another adventure with him, something different and new. He lived my life on the road, and now I can live his under this roof. When our lunch is over and it’s time to clean up, he starts to wash the plates on his own, but I haven’t washed dishes in years. I stand next to him, watching as he gets the soap all foamy. The bubbles look like they could float away, or like they’re ready to pop. I reach out, poking them, wondering why they don’t pop like normal bubbles. Instead, they just kinda disappear. Shouyou laughs, nudging me aside. “This'll only take a sec, and then we can head out, okay?”

I nod, grabbing the soapy plate from him. “Okay.”

“What’re you doing?” Shouyou tries to take it back but I don’t let him. “You’re my guest! You don’t need to do chores.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not a guest, I’m your boyfriend. Let me help.” He doesn’t argue, so I keep rinsing the plate clean. It feels slippery, and I’m careful when I put it on the drying rack I saw him take it from earlier, not wanting to drop it and break it. For some reason, Shouyou isn’t scrubbing the other plate yet. He’s just standing there, pink in the face, with this dumb little smile that gives me weird butterflies. “What?”

He sorta laughs. “Nothing.” He leans in, kissing my cheek. “Thank you.”

“If you can sit still for hours on the road, I can rinse off a couple plates.” I shrug, wishing he’d kiss me again because it left a nice warm spot on my cheek. “No biggie.”

I’m really lucky because Shouyou does kiss me again, with an even better smile this time. “Nope! No biggie.” He quickly finishes up with the rest of the dishes, handing them off to me for rinsing, humming while he does. It makes me feel luckier.

When the kitchen’s tidied up, Shouyou runs off to find his car keys. I actually think I saw them on the counter earlier, and when I check, they’re there, alright. “Found them!” I yell.

He makes a weird sound, like a groan and a whine, and runs over to me. “I could’ve sworn I left them somewhere else!” Shouyou snatches them from me, smirking. “My turn to drive! Ready to hear my rules?” I don’t get a chance to say no. “Okay. If you touch a window, just wipe it with your sleeve after, and you can put your feet up if you want, but shoes off first. And if you’re too hot or too cold, go ahead and fix the air how you want. If you need the window down, you have to hold the button for a while for it to get going, but not to put it back up. It’s been like that since forever, but it still works. Oh, and you can request music, but as the driver, I preserve the right to refuse!” He hums. “Or is it reserve?”

“Preserve.” That means to keep something, which is what he’s getting at.

“Then that!” Shouyou grins. “And feel free to ask all the stupid questions you want, Yama-Yama. As long as you don’t ask to drive.” He grabs me by the hand, lacing our fingers together. “I’ll show you around town a little first, then off to groceries!” I let him drag me outside and to the passenger side of his little car. When he looks at Kindaichi’s next to it, he nods. “Not a bad looking set of wheels! He really didn’t mind loaning it?”

Yeah, I’m surprised, too. I shrug, following him inside. “I guess not? I think Kunimi can drive him wherever anyway.”

“That makes sense.” Shouyou nods, buckling up and watching me do the same. “To the streets we go, copilot Tobio!” He laughs, backing out of the drive. I'm surprised by how smooth he gets on the road, but not by how fast he does it. He asks me to plug his phone in, but I don’t know where. He has no plug-in spot! “The cassette thing is already in. Just put the cable in my phone, and it’s the same as the aux thing.”

What? I did see the cassette half in, but I didn’t notice the cord hanging off of it. “That’s not gonna work.” I do it, anyway, pushing the tape in and attaching his phone.

He laughs, shaking his head. “Um, I think I know my own car! Play the second one. You’ll see.”

Whatever. I shuffle the songs, almost jumping when the music comes in through the speakers around us. Shouyou laughs, enough to say he told me so without having to use those words. “How does that work?” I peek at the cassette thing, wondering how it can be playing music when it’s blank.

“Probably magic.”

“Huh.” I stare at the confusing adapter for a little while more, deciding it’s not for me to figure out. My eyes drift to the other buttons and knobs nearby. The air is low and halfway between warm and cold. The vents are all pointing different directions, and I can’t imagine how they’d be useful that way. His windows have smudges and the dash is a little dusty. It smells sort of like him, but also like takeaway and coconut. A couple crumpled receipts and napkins are near my feet, shoved in the corner, and the mat is dirty. I never really thought about what Shouyou’s car would be like, but if I had, this would be it.

Out the window, I see small houses and green yards and sidewalks with kids in raincoats on them. I see blossoming trees, dripping from the storm, and empty clotheslines. I see an old couple taking a dog for a walk, all three of them in yellow boots. “Those are my neighbors! Their dog’s named Mango.” Shouyou tells me about the other people he lives near, like the librarian and the pharmacist and the retired volleyball player. He talks about how he used to mow these lawns to earn extra money and how he used it on junk food for him and his sister. He laughs about how he slipped on the icy crosswalk we stop at, and how he once helped a little boy cross. When the houses start turning into trees, he turns the music up. “This is the hill! It’s super fun for bike rides. Hope you like trees.” Shouyou laughs. It looks like this is the view for a while, but it’s not bad. It reminds me of driving through the countryside, only greener and wetter. I think I could get used to it pretty fast. “Ooh, this song is great!” He turns the volume even higher, singing with the words a little before they start. I’m not sure if I’ve heard this song before, but the beat feels familiar. Hearing his singing voice again makes me smile, but I don’t know the words or the tune enough to sing along. Instead, I let the rhythm guide my body, moving into something like a dance. Why does being around Shouyou make me want to dance? I don’t dance. “Yes, Tobio! Use those shoulders.” He does the same moves as me, swerving the car just a bit once or twice, and keeps singing through his laughter. I actually move my foot to step on a brake that isn’t there one time. It’s not natural for me to be a passenger, but maybe it’s not the worst thing.

Over the hill, Shouyou drives us past his old school, the hospital he was born in, the animal shelter he volunteered at when he accepted that his family’s flat wouldn’t allow any pets, ever. “Are you gonna show me around every single building?” I ask, watching a drop of rain trail down the window. I touch the glass with my finger, sliding down along its path.

“Not today! We have plenty of time for that later. Right now, we gotta get to shopping.”

I like remembering that I’ll still be here tomorrow. “Okay.”

The parking lot of the store is surprisingly big, especially with how small the other buildings have been. It looks pretty busy, people rushing to and from their cars, tires and shoes splashing in puddles. Maybe this is the only real grocery store around a few towns over, or something. “I’m not made of money, but if you see something you really want, ask nicely and we'll talk about it.” Shouyou smiles, reaching behind the seat to grab his reusable bags.

Was it weird for him to charge everything to my company card? He’s never been rich, and I never gave him any limits. I’m living by his rules, though, so I’ll play fair. “Nicely?” I follow him through the parking lot.

“Yes!” He takes my hand. “Like, ask me with a ‘please' or something.”

If I want something bad enough, I can always buy it myself, but whatever. “Okay, fine.”

The last time I shopped for groceries must’ve been at least five years ago. I get food on the road and any other shopping is done at convenience stores. I almost can’t believe how big the shelves are, or how far they stretch! They’re all packed, too, with too much to even look at. Shouyou bumps me with a shopping cart, smirking. “It’s a big store. Probably not what you’re used to.”

“Nope.” I shake my head, leaning forward on the cart. “Are we gonna be here all day?”

He pushes forward, but I step up on the bottom of the cart instead of moving, and he laughs. “No way! I know all the stuff I want, so I don’t think we'll be that long.” Shouyou nods towards the aisles we pass. “Feel free to look around. I’ll drive you!”

I’m going backwards, but I do check out the stuff we go by. There are so many brands of things, even for the exact same items. How does anybody decide which to get? This one’s cheaper, this one’s bigger, this one’s fancier. Do people only buy the stuff they can reach, not even looking at the stuff high on the shelves? I wonder if short people like Shouyou even wonder what they’re missing. Maybe the store rotates things so that brands move up and down shelves, or something. I can’t imagine how long it takes to decide between this rice or that one. I watch Shouyou grab a bag without thought and drop it in the cart. “How do you know which one to get?” I ask, poking the bag as we start to move again.

“What do you mean?”

“There’s different sizes and brands and stuff. How do you pick?”

He shrugs. “It’s the kind I always get! I got a bigger bag because there’s two of us, but that’s the one I buy.”

“Why?”

“I like it, and it’s cheap. It’s what my mom bought since I can remember.” Shouyou mentions seeing the familiar label in the kitchen all his life. “I don’t know! It makes sense to me.” I guess he looks for deals and what he likes, which does make sense. I’ve never had to think about that kind of thing before.

Other stuff we pass is in bright boxes, shiny wrappers, clear packages. And it’s not just food, either. It’s stuff to make food, like broth and breadcrumbs and flour. “What’s that for?” I point.

“It’s cooking spray.” Shouyou drops it in with the other groceries.

“What does it do?”

He adds other stuff in the cart, barely looking at the crap he grabs from the shelves. “It keeps pans from getting all ick and blegh when cooking, and it’s less messy than oil.” Shouyou shops away. “I think it’s supposed to be healthy, too, but it’s definitely cheaper!”

I’m surprised he has time to answer me since he knows apparently every other person we pass by. He'll wave and say hello every few steps, not stopping to talk, but talking just the same. A few times, I’m introduced as his Kageyama Tobio, and I try not to show too much of my face because I know I turn a little red. Some of his little conversations are shouted down aisles, and others are cut short with promises of a phone call or tea visit. Everyone seems to know and love him, and it’s stupid how much I understand why. “When do we get to the fun stuff?” I ask when he finally stops talking to his old plumber, or whoever.

“Fun stuff?”

“Yeah, like the ice cream and pudding.” I check over my shoulder, clearly nowhere near the good shit.

Shouyou laughs, a twinkle in his eyes. “Saving the best for last!”

We only go to the good aisles after the meat and produce and all the boring crap. Most of our time is actually spent here, stocking up on sweets and snacks and other stuff that wasn’t on the shopping list. I try not to get carried away, but there’s so much to choose from! Colors and flavors and shapes and sizes. I try to tell Shouyou that I can pay for my own stuff, but he won’t let me. He says not to get used to it and I have no problem with that. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to five different yogurt brands and ten different flavors! Who could? The only other thing I buy is a pack of shiny sparkle stickers when we get near the register. I don’t know why I want them, but they’re mine to stick on whatever I want and Shouyou lets me get two packs.

The drive back home starts out pretty cloudy, but by the time we get to the hill, the sun starts peeking out from the grey. Shouyou keeps singing along with his music and talking about the people we ran into at the store. I nod and hum, leaving one of the stickers on the dash, another on the door handle, one on Shouyou’s shirt sleeve, one on my shoe and another on his cheek. “You know everybody.” I shake my head. It was weird to spend so much time in one place, not hurrying even a little. “If you would’ve stopped to talk to everyone you recognized, we’d still be at the store.”

“Yeah.” He laughs. “But I have somewhere to be.”

Back at the house, we load up our arms with bags, not willing to let the other take more. “If it’s too heavy for you, I can take one.” I offer. Shouyou practically runs from me.

“No way! I got it.”

“You can always make two trips if you need them.”

He gasps, eyes wide. “How dare you!” Then he runs to the front door, no warning that we're racing.

“Cheater!” I quickly catch up to him, but he’s already got the door open with that laugh of his.

We both set the bags down in the kitchen. I’m not sure where anything goes, so I sorta just stand near Shouyou while he takes stuff out of the bags. “You can grab a seat, if you want. You should relax during your time off!” He bumps me with his hip. “I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Okay.” I sit at the little table with a juice he hands me and watch him work. He takes each item out of the bags and leaves it on the counter. When everything is taken out, he folds the bags up and sets them in a corner. Then, he opens the fridge and freezer doors along with every cabinet door and drawer. What’s he doing? Before I can question him, Shouyou grabs one thing and tosses it in a cabinet, grabs another thing and leaves it in the freezer, puts something else near the toaster and another thing on top of the fridge. As fast as he is moving, he could work faster by picking up more than one grocery at once. Like, all the frozen stuff or all the second-cabinet junk. “Why don’t you put away more than one thing at a time?” I ask.

“What for?” Shouyou scoffs.

“So it’ll go faster.”

He sorta smiles, walking over to me. “I’m not on a schedule. There’s no need to hurry!” He gives me a quick kiss. “It’s more relaxing to take my time.”

I watch him walk back to his slow process and empty my cup. Hurrying is just how I’ve been living, trying to keep appointments and travel time in order. Relaxing isn’t really part of that. Well, being on the road is kind of relaxing for me, but it’s always a race against the clock in some way or another. With a deep breath, I decide that I’ll try this relaxation thing while I’m here. After all, rushing through everything would only make our time together feel shorter, and I don’t want that. “When do you think we'll have dinner?” I ask, making sure I’ve gotten the last drop of juice.

Shouyou blows air out his mouth, making a funny raspberry sound. “Dunno. It shouldn’t take that long to make, but I’m a little hungry, too.” He's always hungry. “Hey, did you want to grab your stuff from the car? You don’t have to unpack, but maybe we should bring it in.”

“Yeah, probably.” I’d pretty much forgotten about my things in Kindaichi’s car. Even though I can carry my bag by myself, Shouyou comes with me anyway, and sits in the driver’s seat.

“Still can’t believe he let you borrow his entire car!”

I sort of laugh, putting my charger back in my bag. “Instead of what? Half of it?”

He laughs. “Shut up! I just mean not a lot of people would do that.”

I shrug. “He knew I had somewhere to be where someone was waiting for me.” I remind him. “I’m just not allowed to wreck it.”

“That'll be tough.” Shouyou jokes, playing with the mirror. When he flips the sun visor, my two pictures fall off and onto his lap. He starts to say something but stops, bringing the pictures closer to his face. “You…you brought these.” His voice is quiet, still looking down. I wasn’t about to leave without them, and I take them on all my drives. Why not this one? He sticks them back where they came from, shaking his head with a smile. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to snoop! They just sorta fell.”

“It’s okay.”

He finally gets out, grabbing my hand as soon as I’m in reach. “Let’s go make dinner. We can actually sit and eat at a dining table!”

“Fancy.”

Shouyou laughs and kisses my cheek, dragging me back in the house. I leave my bag in the hall and join him in the kitchen. The first thing I’m told to do is wash my hands. The next thing is to put on an apron. “Don’t wanna make a mess!” I’m told. Then, Shouyou pulls up a recipe on his phone and sets it on the counter. “Tell me the ingredients, okay?” He waits for me to read them off one at a time, then finds them in the fridge and the cupboard and on the shelves. “Um, how much of each do we need?” He measures everything out the way I tell him, putting things in bowls and little dishes all along the counter. “What’s the first step?” Shouyou asks me to read the directions, but quickly gets lost. “Wait, go back to the first part of that!”

I roll my eyes, reading the direction again. “That’s what it says!”

“But what does that mean?”

“How should I know?” I was only told to read the instructions, not understand them! I try to think back to anything Miwa ever tried to teach me, remembering just enough to help with the recipe and not destroy the kitchen too much. By the time we're almost done, I’ve pretty much had it with this cooking nonsense.

“Did you wanna sit down? It’s pretty much ready!” Shouyou points at the drying dishes and asks if I can set the table.

I get the dishes out, placing them where they were for breakfast, and plop in one of the chairs. It creaks when I lean back. “Took long enough.” I sigh.

“What do you mean?”

Picking up food that’s already made takes no time at all, and fast food is only a little longer. At least an hour has gone by in this kitchen, and I still haven’t eaten! “That took forever, and it’s not even on the plates yet.” I slump in my seat. “How are there so many steps between shopping and eating?”

For some reason, he laughs. “There just are! Good things take time, you know, and I bet if I cooked more often, we could be done a lot faster.”

Maybe. “I guess.”

“Kinda nice to have a helper, though! We make a good team.”

He spilled a couple things, almost fell once, I thought he cut his fingers at some point and I skipped one of the middle steps. But through it all, we laughed, joked, talked a little, kissed once or twice and worked together from start to finish. It might’ve taken a lifetime, but being with Shouyou is a lot of fun. I nod. “That’s true.”

Our dinner turns out better than I expected, and I’m glad we made extra. I’m already on another helping when Shouyou kinda laughs. “Your food isn’t going anywhere, you know. You don’t have to rush through it.”

Even though it’s said with a smile, it makes me feel a weird wave of guilt. I sat down to only a few meals with him on our trip, and all of them felt like a race against time. If I’d slowed down just a little, spent a little more time outside of work with him, we could’ve gotten to know each other even better, or even discussed what would happen after the delivery. How much did we miss out on for the sake of time? Could one of these meal conversations included coming up with a way to stay together, and not having to go through that time apart? I pause my eating for a drink, gulping down beer and that lump of guilt. “Did you like our trip?” I ask him.

“Of course!” He scoffs. “We had a super awesome time, don’t you think?”

I nod. “Did you want anything to be…different?”

Shouyou hums. “Like, if I could change anything about it, would I?” He waits for me to nod before answering. “The alarm thing was bad, and it would’ve been nice to take our time and do more non-work things, but I think it was good the way it was.” He shrugs. “So, not really. With how things went, it led to you being here now, so I’m good with that!”

“Yeah.” It worked out for the best, and that’s what counts. “I think so, too.”

For a second, he sits there, just looking at me. I want to tell him to stop staring, but for some reason, I can’t get the words out. Shouyou smiles and the sticker on his cheek catches the light. “We should take more trips, then! Like, in the future, when our schedules settle.” That sounds nice, so I nod in agreement. “You’re fun to drive with, even when I’m not behind the wheel.” Nobody’s ever said that to me before. I reach forward, covering his hand with mine. He blinks his big warm eyes at me, but neither of us says anything. I don’t know how to say how I feel, like I’m somehow lighter than before and don’t want to run for the road and I’m not waiting for something, so I just keep my hand on Shouyou’s for a minute. His mouth curls up, a small smile with a dark flush of his cheeks, and he gives my hand a squeeze. Does he know what I’m feeling, or what I’m thinking? How does he understand? His eyes sparkle. “When we’re done here, I can clean up.”

“Want me to help you?”

He shakes his head. “No, that’s okay. This is your time off, so you relax!”

I sort of tsk, not sure how watching him clean could be relaxing. “So I should just stand here while you wash dishes? That’s stupid.”

Shouyou rolls his eyes. “No, genius! Here, I’ll show you.”

His bathroom is very clean and tidy, mostly because there’s hardly anything in it. Nothing hangs on the walls and there aren’t any decorations in sight unless I count the plants in the corner by the hamper. The shower curtain is kinda fancy, splayed out against the wall to leave the tub open, and it smells like flowery candles, or something, but I don’t see any. I don’t see a toothbrush or a razor near the sink, but I’m told I can keep my stuff in the cabinet, so I assume his are there, too. Shouyou crouches by the tub, letting the water run. “So this is it?” I ask, standing next to him. He nods.

“Yep! This is my ultra super tub. Like it?”

“What’s there to like?”

He laughs, stopping the drain. “You’ll see. Go ahead and get undressed.”

We’ve seen every part of each other without clothes, so getting naked is no big deal, even if I’m the only one doing it. I leave my stuff in a pile on the floor, but Shouyou points at it with this…look on his face, so I toss them in the hamper. “Can I get in?” I ask while the level rises with the steam.

“If you want! Tell me if it’s too hot, okay?”

“Okay.” I sit down, sinking against the warm porcelain. The heat is weirdly comforting, soothing my muscles like I’m a deflating balloon. “Oh, okay.” I sigh, letting the water cover me. “Yeah, this is good.” I think I’m melting. I lean my head back against the edge, letting my eyes shut. “Really, really good.”

“Told ya!” He laughs again. “Want some bubbles? They'll make your skin soft.”

I nod, opening my eyes. “Do they smell good?”

Shouyou gets a bottle from the cupboard and holds it out for me to smell. “Like it?” It reminds me of that sunshine scent he always has, the smell he had the first time we met. I hum, letting him pour a bunch in the stream of water. He swirls his hand around, making sure it all gets caught in some movement. Soon, I’m surrounded by puffy suds that smell fresh and feel weightless, and he turns the water off. “Was that too much? I almost can’t see you.” Shouyou parts some of the bubbles near my face, smile wide and bright.

“No, don’t be a dumbass!” I tell him. “I like it.”

This makes him laugh, even though he shakes his head. “Alright, Bubble-Yama.” He stands, wiping his hand on his shirt. “You take it easy in there, and I’ll be back in a bit! Don’t drown while I’m gone.” Shouyou starts for the door, not even bothering to touch me. No caress on my cheek, no squeeze of my shoulder, no gentle little kiss? Rude!

I scoff, shaking my head. “Hey!”

He turns on his heel, frowning a little. “What?”

Sometimes I wonder if he could be more clueless. I push my lips forward, trying to pucker and not pout, and Shouyou crouches by the tub again, pink in the face. He runs his thumb across my jaw, tilting my face up, kissing me with rough, warm lips. It’s exactly what I want, except we have to breathe. “Okay, now you can go.” I slide further into the bubbles again, breathing out every ache and sore spot. Shouyou leaves with a smirk, the last thing I see before shutting my eyes again.

I’m very careful to do some stretches before I ever move anything. I have to get my muscles and joints ready for lifting, and half-assing that could mean a slip up or an injury, which are seriously not options for me. When I’m done with a job, too, I make sure to stretch out a bit so I don’t get any muscle cramps or weird soreness. It’s pretty standard, and I’d be an idiot if I didn’t do these things. What I don’t do, though, is any stretching after driving. I sit behind the wheel, arms and legs in the same position each time, sleep in the seat or in the upper bunk. I don’t think about it as being something bad, but laid out in this tub, I can feel the tension and fatigue all over. When have I ever been this relaxed? The hot water on my skin, the steam around me, makes me feel like I could either fall asleep or face the world, refreshed and renewed.  
Shouyou comes back with the same robe from earlier hugged in his arms when the water cools down and the bubbles melt away. “Ready to get out?”

Not really, but I guess there’s no point to sitting in cold, no-bubble water. I stand up, grabbing the fluffy towel from off the rack. “I guess.” I sigh, drying off my upper body first, and he starts to drain the tub. “It made me kinda tired, but also…refreshed, or something?” I shrug and tie the towel around my hips. Shouyou holds his hand to help me out, so I scoff at it. “I don’t need help getting out.” I take it anyway, finishing up drying my legs.

“You can put this on for now.” He nods, swapping the towel for the robe.

“Where’s my bag?”

Shouyou smirks, draping the towel out to dry. “You left it in the hall, remember? You haven’t unpacked, or I could’ve gotten you some clean stuff of your own.”

“I haven’t what?”

“Unpacked!” He uses his hand to cup running water from the faucet and rinse the tub walls with it. I have no idea why. “You still have your stuff in a bag, like you’re going someplace.” When he’s done with that, he stands with his hands on his hips, smiling. “And I know you’re not going anywhere right now! I’ll help you.”

I follow him to his room, dragging my bag behind me, and stop when I cross the threshold. “Holy shit.” I mumble, trying to take everything in all at once. The walls have street signs and license plates and road maps and postcards from places I’ve never even heard of. His shelves have globes and souvenir keychains and funny little sculptures crowded to capacity. Even his dresser is littered with this and that, obviously gathered from all over the place, like jars of tiny rocks and a stack of business cards and pin badges and more than one little woven doll. His bedside lamp looks like it came from a fortune teller, and his rug looks to be from another continent entirely. “This is your room?”

He tosses my bag on his bed with a grin. “Sure is! I’ve collected a lot over the years.” Shouyou looks back at me, suddenly frowning. “What? Is it that bad?”

Honestly, it’s not what I expected. There aren’t any rickety old wood or antique iron pieces of furniture, and nothing looks like it belongs to an ancient old lady. I don’t see any dust or cobwebs, or anything dirty. The stale, secondhand smell that comes with any recycle shop, which I’d decided I could get used to for Shouyou’s sake, is nowhere to be found. I shake my head, inhaling the cozy, familiar scent of him. “No, no. I like it.”

He blinks his big eyes at me before laughing. “No way! I thought you were thinking it’s too much, or too ugly, or whatever.”

I walk over so I can stand beside him. “I don’t, but does it matter?”

It’s just his room, isn’t it? I guess maybe it shows a bit of who he is, and what his comfort space looks like, but I already like him, even if he had a dirty old bedroom. “Well…no, but still! I wouldn’t want you to hate the room you’re staying in.” Shouyou pushes my bag towards me, smile growing. “Let’s get you unpacked!”

Apparently, people put their clothes and stuff away in proper places when they’re staying for more than just a day or two. Every time I pull something out, he asks about it and puts it away. Like my jumper: is it for lounging or when we go out? Either, even though the ends of the sleeves are stretched out. Then it gets folded over a hanger and tucked in the left side of the closet. My socks: are they clean? No shit, or I wouldn’t have brought them. They get tossed in the top drawer, also on the left side. A funny tee shirt I’d forgotten about: do I still wear it? Yes, even though it has a couple holes at the bottom and a tear in one of the armpits. That gets folded and buried in the bottom drawer. While we go over each and every thing, I notice something peeking out from under a tangle of headphones. “What’s this?” I slide it off the dresser, staring back at my own face four times. I knew he’d kept our photo booth pictures, but I didn’t expect to see them in person.

Behind me, Shouyou hums, resting his face on my shoulder. “I almost got rid of it.”

“Why?”

“Because!” He huffs. “I missed you, dummy. I wanted to stop missing you, but throwing it out wouldn’t have changed that anyway, so I kept it.”

Makes sense. I nod, setting it back on top of the pile this time. I turn, kissing the tip of his nose. “I’m glad you did.” His face goes a bit pink, and his smile does stupid things to me. He gets to be handsome and cute at the same time, and I don’t know what to even do with that. “Are we done unpacking now?”

Shouyou laughs a little. “You really didn’t bring that much.”

I’ve heard really good things about his bed, so I walk over to it. “I didn’t know what I was packing for.” I remind him. His blankets are soft in the way that only old blankets can be, and they feel warm on my palms. I shift my weight to check how much bounce I can get, hands on the mattress, and almost gasp. “Is this a marshmallow?”

“Isn’t it the best?” Shouyou runs over, jumping on the bed and bouncing the covers into a mess. “I told you it was amazing! Try it out.” He pulls me next to him, not bothering to be gentle. As soon as my body hits the mattress, I pretty much melt into it. I swear, I’m lying on a cloud, or something, cradled in soft, sturdy comfort.

“Whoa.” I sigh, sinking my weight back against it.

Shouyou rolls over, poking me in the chest. “See? It’s the best! A million times better than your overhead cabin thing.”

“It does its job.”

He laughs, curling up next to me. “I guess. Speaking of work, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

While clearing his throat, he sorta rolls on me, lying on his belly right up against me. “So, you said your boss is okay to loan you to mine, as long as Suga agrees, right?” I nod for him to continue. “And, like, let’s say my boss wants me to do a shopping or scouting run, maybe out of town, and I have to carry some big, heavy things back to one of the shops after. Do you think it’d be super out of the question for you to be my driver and assistant, or something? Assuming both of our bosses say it’s okay and our schedules work, I mean.”

Drive him out of town to look at old, used junk and drive it, and him, back in my truck? Honestly, I can’t think of anything more fun behind the wheel. “I like how you think.” I lean over for a kiss. One isn’t good enough for Shouyou, so we keep kissing, soft and quick and light.

“And if you’re working in the area, maybe you won’t need to sleep in your truck.”

I hum against his lips, not really wanting to separate to talk. “Maybe.”

Shouyou makes his way on top of me, somehow not that heavy. I think his knees are carrying a lot of his weight, or something. “You better stay here if you’re nearby.” He smirks between kisses. “And you better keep in touch when you don’t.” His hair is soft against my fingers. “That not talking to each other thing was stupid.” His hands are warm on my jaw. “Let’s not do that again, okay?”

Well, no shit! I’d rather be stuck on checklist duty chatting up clients than repeat that bullshit. “Done.” I agree, taking my time feeling Shouyou’s lips on mine. They’re chapped and not very smooth, but they’re impossible to ignore when they smile and hard to resist when they’re so close. Even though our kisses do get deeper, longer, they don’t get sloppy or rushed. It feels so new to me, but in a good way. His mouth is pretty tasty, and I know his skin probably is, too. I pull back just enough to start kissing down his neck, taking my sweet time. Shouyou tosses his head back with a sigh, giving me a better angle. I want to feel more of his skin, so I slide my hands under his shirt, making him shiver under my touch. I need more of that, too. Off goes his shirt! For a while, I keep this up, just kissing and touching, lips and fingertips, listening to Shouyou breathe. Sometimes he gasps, sometimes he sighs, a couple times he actually whimpers. I think his moans are the best, especially when they have my name hidden in them.

“Tobio.” He whispers my name, not following up with anything else. His fingers drag through my hair, across my back, helping me out of the robe again, slow hands and deep breaths.

I’m pretty sure I could spend forever like this. The only thing stopping me is our need for just a little more. My hands travel all the way down his back, slowly, pulling him down so there’s no space between us. His body’s heating up under my palms, breathing getting heavier the lower my hand goes. The way he reacts, with his hips and his voice, makes it even more fun to play and tease. When the rest of his clothes come off, we keep at this easy, lazy pace, tasting and touching like we have all the time in the world. And, I mean, maybe we do. Maybe we can have a lot of nights like this if I work in the area. Maybe we can work together and have nights like this on the road. Things won’t be the same for me anymore, not exactly, but if this is the change, I’m more than okay with that. “Kiss me.” It was only for a second, but his lips weren’t on mine. He pulls my face to his, sort of dragging me upwards. I use the motion to sit up, push Shouyou back, adjust to the new view, gradually taking every bit of him he offers. His eyes are dark, a little glassy, cheeks and chest flushed pink, lips swollen and red. This is my future, and I’m ready for it. All of it.

We don’t rush, don’t hurry. Sometimes we don’t even move at all, just breathing in the same space, as close as two people can be. Those moments feel really good, like I’m in a safe place, like I’ll never be alone again. Maybe it’s because of all these feelings that this time together feels so fucking amazing, and I don’t want it to ever end. “Tobio, please.” Shouyou moans into my ear. “Don’t stop.” I do my best, but I’m only human. I get lost in his scent, his sounds, his taste, his touch, calloused hands and orange hair filling my brain. If I died right now, I might not be alive, but I’d be happy.

This bed really is the best. I almost pass out right when I hit the mattress, but I get caught up in a flurry of kisses all over my face. “You’re missing!” I laugh, chasing his lips with mine, but he ignores them.

“Am not!” He nudges my nose with his and finally gives me a proper kiss. Then, Shouyou cuddles up next to me with a sigh, holding me tight. “Right where I want to be.”

I hum in agreement, kissing the top of his head. I’m not exactly sure what our lives will look like up ahead, but I do know it’ll be us together, sometimes some cargo and often, this bed. For the first time in a long time, I’m excited for something new. Since I can remember, I’ve only wanted to be behind the wheel of a truck, on the road, driving places that hold no meaning to me. I just wanted to be alone, experiencing the things my grandfather did, not really tied by anything or anyone to any particular place. That was before I knew a person could be as bright as the sun and smell like summer afternoons. That was before any Hinata Shouyou.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The most fun was showing the newness of the mundane: how to make grocery shopping seem like an adventure? Look at it with fresh eyes! As far as the story goes, it’s done; the final chapter next week will be an epilogue of sorts from a new POV~


	20. MT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses as to whose POV this'll be from? No? I’ll tell you: Oikawa perspective! This is a year or so after the events of the last chapter.

Normally I wouldn’t be this late to work. Well, some people call it ‘on time,’ but for me, anything this close to the hour is late. Sitting here, passenger side, while the clock ticks away, isn’t easy for me; I have a lot to do before any of my employees get to the office, and the slower we drive, the less time I’ll have for any of it. I take a breath, easing my grip on my disposable coffee cup, and let my head rest against the seat. “Why couldn’t we have just made coffee at home?” I mutter, not caring if I’m heard or not.

Of course, I am heard, because I’m married to a man with ears like a bat. “Yeah, ’cause stopping to get coffee really set us back.” I don’t want to admit he has a point so I just pout. “Relax, will you?”

“I’m plenty relaxed, Iwa-chan.” I slouch to demonstrate, but he doesn’t bother looking over.

“Oh yeah, I see that.” He smirks. “Maybe now’s the time to tell you this clock is behind fifteen minutes.”

What?! I gasp, bolting upright, pointing around the cars ahead of us. “Step on it, then! Pass these people. Hurry!” Can’t help but notice he’s absolutely not doing any of that. “Why aren’t you…” He’s laughing. When I check the time on my phone and realize it matches the time in the car, I pinch his arm. “You are the meanest person alive! And you’re not funny.”

Hajime takes a slow sip from his coffee, gently setting it back in the cupholder. “Well, I laughed.” He emphasizes the second word. “We'll be there soon, alright?”

“I have to be there ten minutes ago.” I roll my eyes. “I have to read and respond to emails, check my messages and make calls, go over the schedule…”

“You’re important. Got it.”

He’s sassy this morning, isn’t he? “You know what I mean! I’ve got a lot of shit to do before we leave this afternoon, and I need to make sure it’s all in order.” If we’re going away for the weekend, I need to be certain I’ll have nothing to think about, aside from him, while we’re gone. “You know I won’t be able to have fun if there’s something from work on my mind.”

He glances my way, eyes soft. “I know, Tooru. I’ll get you there.”

It’s not like I think he’s going to make us late-late; I just get anxious when things don’t go according to my plans. Hajime’s doing his best, though, and he’d never do anything to purposely ruin my morning. “I know.” I sigh. “And if we are late, I’m docking your pay.”

“There’s my angel!” He laughs, shaking his head.

The office is empty, all the parking spaces vacant, when we pull into the lot. Hajime goes for one of the spaces near the middle, but I point to the spot under the shade tree. “Go ahead and park over there.” It is my usual spot, after all!

“Isn’t it reserved for the big important boss?” He smirks, pulling into the spot anyway.

“Present company!” I gesture at my general self. “Okay.” I gulp the last of my coffee and unbuckle to get out. “Thanks for the ride, Iwa-chan! I’ll see you after lunch, okay?” I lean over for a quick kiss, lingering just a little more than I should, but I can’t help it. Hajime’s a good kisser!

“Okay.” He nods. “I only have one job today, so you better be ready.”

I wave. “I will be!” I’d never be late for a weekend getaway, especially since it’s been a while since the two of us got out of the city. We'll be surrounded by trees with a lake nearby instead of staring at grey buildings and screens all day. Fresh air, new scenery, no stress: just my husband and me! Thinking about it makes the walk to the front door somehow enjoyable. As I unlock it and make my way back to my office, I think of all the possibilities. We'll probably share a bottle of sparkling wine, lounge by the fireplace, clothing optional. Maybe we'll take a little walk and picnic by the lake, or lie down under the stars when the sun goes down. Maybe we'll spend an entire day in bed, lazy and naked, only getting up to quiet our stomachs. “Can’t wait!” I sing to myself as I stroll over to my desk. I sink into my chair, starting my computer up and glancing at my answering machine. As I expected, the red light is blinking, but the number of messages is higher than usual. Hm. I hit the button to play them.

“Hello! I’m calling about the antique trunk set you looked at the other day.” The what? “I’ve decided to sell after all, so give me a call back.” Um, weird, but okay. Next!

“I’m calling to confirm the price on that wardrobe you showed interest in. I’m willing to include the hangers, so don’t worry about any additional costs.” Again, what? I’m so confused. “Call me when you can, okay? Thanks!”

I frown, leaning my elbows on my desk, as the next message plays. “Is this the number to reach the recycle shop?” Uh, no! “I just wanted to let you know that I’m willing to sell, but let’s negotiate price. You know, for sentimental reimbursement?” I rub my eyes, trying not to tense my shoulders up. “Anyway, I’ll leave my number in case you lost it.”

The next message is about the business; someone is looking for moving rates for packing and relocating goods. That, I can handle. Those other messages? I don’t even know where to begin! “Good God.” I mutter.

“I’m calling to get in touch with either Kageyama Tobio or Hinata Shouyou.”

“Oh, hell no!” I shout to the empty room around me. The message keeps going, a lot like the others, mentioning some piece of crap or another is for sale, but I don’t even bother listening. I call Tobio on my personal phone, leaning back in my chair. Of course, he doesn’t answer, so I try him on my office phone. He doesn’t answer that either! “Brilliant.” I slam the receiver down. Why is Tobio giving my office number out to random people? This is as moving company, not a recycle shop! “Why isn’t this idiot answering?” I scroll through my contacts, finding Hinata Shouyou’s number. “Pick up.” I wait around, but it just keeps ringing on his end. Nothing’s coming of this, so I end that call, too. “Whatever.” It’s not like I won’t get to the bottom of this later, but I have other business to take care of. Hajime would tell me to breathe, so I take a deep breath, pace once around my desk and get back to my computer; I have emails and the upcoming schedule to look over. And more daydreaming to do.

When Hajime and I took our honeymoon, it was in the middle of summer on a hot island. The sun never stopped shining, except to go to bed, and while it was gorgeous, it got to be just a tiny bit too much one day. While we were relaxing on the beach, I wasn’t hydrating enough; I mean, I was drinking, but it wasn’t water. Anyway, I started to feel sweaty and faint, and Hajime took me back to our suite and spoiled the hell out of me! He tucked me into bed, cranked up the air conditioning, gave me water and a cold cloth for my forehead and held my hand. I felt really stupid for not paying more attention to my body, and for ruining that day of our honeymoon; what was I thinking? But he didn’t make me feel guilty at all. He was super sweet about the whole thing, just making sure I felt better, and he never once complained about being stuck inside. When I did feel better, he insisted we stayed in for another day. Honestly, I think it was the best day of our entire honeymoon! Hajime gave me an amazing massage, and after I returned the favor, we spent a good part of the day in bed, tangled up together under the sheets. We got tipsy from too much champagne, then took a bath together, which was actually more getting dirty than clean. When it was dark, we sat out on our private balcony, and he asked me to point out constellations. I was so touched that he was willing to spend the whole day inside with me, just to make sure I was better, and I couldn’t keep my hands off him. It was amazing. With luck, maybe we can have a night like that again, complete with drunk kisses and sex under the stars!

Oh shit, someone’s calling me. I check my phone’s screen: it’s Sugawara Koushi. “Hello, Kou-chan! How’re you this morning?” I answer. Maybe he knows something about this recycle shop nonsense; he is the owner, after all.

“Yo, Oikawa! I’m well, thanks.” He’s a delight, really! “I was just calling to ask if you’ve spoken to Kageyama today.”

“No…”

He hums. “I can’t get a hold of Hinata, and I figured they were probably together, but maybe they’re just caught up or something. Sorry to bother you!”

I shake my head. “Not at all! I always enjoy our chats.”

“It’s been a while. Maybe the four of us could grab lunch or something next week?”

He’s talking about us and our husbands. I feel like it’s been ages since I saw him or his Sawamura Daichi, and I know Daichi’s pretty close with Hajime. “Sounds good!” I write myself a note to bring it up to Hajime later. “Let’s talk later and work that out.”

“Perfect! If I get through to Hinata, I’ll have Kageyama call you.”

“Likewise.” I agree.

I do love to see friends, but I’d be lying if I said I was more excited for that double date than this weekend. There’s nobody I’d rather spend my time with than my husband, even if he does get on my nerves. Looking through some of the papers on my desk, I see a form Hajime forgot to initial. I swear, I don’t know how he’s worked here for so long and still forgets to initial above his signature on the finalized checklists for business owners. He never forgets to do that on the residential moving checklists! I just don’t understand it. Sometimes he leaves the tv on in our home gym. Sometimes he calls me out in front of other people when I’m being ‘overly dramatic.’ Sometimes when we look after my nephew, he spoils him so he'll be the favorite uncle. Hajime isn’t a perfect man, but regardless, he’s my favorite person!  
Ah, someone’s knocking on my door. Who’s interrupting my daydreaming now? “It’s me.” A very familiar voice proceeds the man walking through the door.

“Hey, Makki.” I exhale, waving him to come sit. “What’s up?”

Hanamaki Takahiro has worked here ages, but I’ve known him longer. “I was curious about something.” He smirks, sinking into the chair across my desk.

“Okay?”

“Have you been to the truck lot today?”

Normally I don’t bother. I have no business there. “No.” I shake my head. “Why?”

Hanamaki pulls something from his back pocket, unfolding the piece of paper in front of me. “So I take it you don’t know what this is about.” He presses it flat on the desk, pushing it towards me. When he sits back, he crosses his legs, pulling one knee in.

“What?” I scan the paper, trying to make sense of the one word scrawled on it: Thanks. “What the hell is this?” I turn it over, but that doesn’t help.

“That’s what Issei asked.” Hanamaki chuckles.

He and Matsukawa Issei have worked together since they’ve started. They’re never apart, even off the clock. “Why is it my business?” I hand it back to him.

His smirk is back in full force, eyes gleaming and mouth curled up at the side. “That was sitting in Kageyama’s parking space.” He doesn’t take the paper back. “It’s the only thing sitting in his parking space, actually.” Hanamaki says slowly, like I’m an idiot and somehow missed the entire fucking point of his revelation!

“Oh, hell.” I growl upon standing, not waiting for Hanamaki to follow me out of my office. “Can I not have just a single day go smoothly? Is it possible for me to have a good day in this lifetime, or is that too much to ask?”

“Depends on who you ask.”

I’m not alone in the lot; Matsukawa is leaning against the building, sending me a stupid smirk. “Shut up!” I stand in the empty spot where Tobio’s truck is supposed to be.

“Is it that big of a deal?” Hanamaki shows up, joining his partner in delighting in my misfortune.

“I mean, you weren’t gonna use it, right?” Matsukawa snickers.

It’s hard to threaten them with a glare when they’ve seen it as million times. It might not scare them anymore, but I still use it on them. “Mattsun, just…” I rub my forehead with one hand, and hold the other up to keep him quiet. “Shut your mouth. You both have somewhere to be.” I shoo them away, and even though they stay put, I pretend I don’t see them and get my phone out. The only person I can think to call right now is Hajime. “Please pick up.”

“Hey, what’s up? I’ve only got a few minutes.” Hajime answers.

“Iwa-chan.” I whine, no shame. “I’m surrounded by fools!”

It’s not funny, but he laughs. “What happened?”

I sigh, making a not-so-polite gesture at Hanamaki and Matsukawa, but they laugh it off. “I’m missing a truck. Tobio’s truck, to be precise. All he left was a thank you note under a damn rock.” I kick said rock, not caring where it goes. “What am I supposed to do?”

“You tried calling him?”

Obviously! I roll my eyes. “And Shouyou! Neither of them will answer their phones, and Koushi can’t even get a hold of them.”

Hajime sighs. “Um, okay. So what’s the big deal, here, exactly?”

“It’s company property that hasn’t been okayed for transport. Especially on wherever this escapade is taking place!” I’ve had to explain this so many times, I feel like a broken record. “And if it’s for the recycle shop, I told Tobio to use one of their vans, not his truck. He’s not on the schedule, so I know this isn’t one of our jobs! He’s violating at least two parts of our agreement. None of this is okay.”

“Iwaizumi doesn’t think it’s a big deal, does he?” Hanamaki elbows Matsukawa.

“Nope.” Matsukawa laughs.

I kick a rock their way, only making them laugh more. “Okay, well, take a breath.” Hajime suggests. A beeping sound means I have another call coming in. It’s Shouyou!

“Iwa-chan, wait, I’m getting a call from one of them. Don’t hang up, okay? Just hang on.” I switch the call, taking a deep breath so I don’t immediately fly off the handle. “I’d love an explanation for where my company truck is, and why it’s on an unauthorized excursion.”

I get a dumb little laugh in response. “That’s a lot of words, Oikawa!” It’s Shouyou.

“Spill it, shrimp!”

Why do people keep laughing when I’m mad? “Well, me and Tobio had nothing scheduled for today, so we took a drive down the—”

“Bring it back right now.”

“But you weren’t using it!”

Not the point! “Bring it back.” I repeat. “Right. Now.”

He sighs, probably pouting like a toddler. “Okay, fine! We’re on our way.”

“And call your boss. He’s been trying to catch you.” I don’t wait for a response; I just end that call and point at the two huddled off to the side. “You two have somewhere to be. Get going or I’ll seriously dock you and find someone else to do the job.”

Matsukawa rolls his eyes and grabs Hanamaki by the wrist. “This is boring anyway.”

I ignore them and get back to my other call. “They’re on their way. I’m so annoyed right now, you have no idea.” I rub my eyes closed.

“I think I might.” Hajime scoffs. “What was their excuse?”

“They had nothing else to do!” Saying it out loud sounds ridiculous as hell. “Nothing better to do but drive around who knows where, searching for yard sales and shit, in a stuffy truck.”

He hums. “Sounds romantic.”

Um, no? “You can’t be serious.”

“I mean for them!” Hajime laughs. “Sounds like running errands to me, but for them, that’s how they met. It’s what they like, and how they bond.”

That is so stupid. “So they think it’s fine to take company property out for a date?”

He laughs again, probably because it sounds dumb as hell. “I mean, yeah?”

“Iwa-chan.”

“They’re in love, Tooru. They want to have fun and be all mushy with each other, even if that means stealing a truck.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Come on.” He laughs. “Like you never did something reckless before we got married.”

“Never!”

“Should I call your dad and ask him?”

Love makes people do unbelievable things. I was working for my dad before the company was mine, working as something of a manager. Hajime had been more of a friend of a friend back then, running in the same social circles as I did but we never got very close. Since Hanamaki and Matsukawa got hired together and showed good work ethic, my dad hired Hajime some time after. He was always out of the office, moving cargo and going on deliveries, so I rarely saw him. We had a company picnic that year, and some kind deity paired me up with Hajime in a race. It wasn’t just about running, either: we had to do a portion piggybacking, wheelbarrowing and then with our legs tied together. He lifted me onto his back like I weighed nothing, then lifted me by my ankles with ease, so I held onto him so much closer than necessary for the three-legged portion. He frowned with such determination, wanting to win, and laughed from deep in his belly when we took first place. I fell for him right then and there, I swear. Hot, cute, fun, athletic: what more to desire?

We started messaging pretty often, keeping in touch when he was out of the office. A few times, on his days off, I took extended lunch breaks to hang out with him and get as much flirting time in as possible. At this point, we weren’t dating, though. It was strictly a just-friends arrangement where I could look but not touch. I was not about to break the ‘no dating within the company’ rule, even if Hajime was everything I wanted.

That could only last so long. We had a connection that couldn’t be ignored, and it wasn’t just on my end! Hajime kissed me. It was only once, but it had me sold: this is my future husband. I had to have him, had to be with him, even if I’d only see him a few times a week. I don’t fall in love easily, so I knew this guy was the real deal! I knew we couldn’t be together if we both worked for my dad, though. Hajime hadn’t worked for the company that long, and I had skills I could take elsewhere. I wasn’t about to ask him to quit for me, so I decided that I’d be the one to quit. I looked for other possible jobs, fixed up my resume, typed up a resignation letter and stressed the fuck out. I mean, what would my dad say? How could I tell him that I was quitting the business I was meant to take over for a handsome face?

I actually didn’t get to make the dramatic exit I’d planned because, in my state of new love and panic, I left my paperwork where my dad could easily find it. And he did. He found my stuff and brought it right to me, asking what it was all about. He looked so…sad? Disappointed? A mix of both, I guess, but I started bawling and insisting that I loved Hajime and I didn’t want my dad to hate me, but I needed to follow my heart. It was truly pathetic, I’m sure, but my dad just held me like I was a child with a boo-boo.

“Why can’t you have both?” Dad asked me. I had to pick between my job and my crush, so something had to go. I wasn’t about to force Hajime to quit! “We don’t have non-fraternization policies here, Tooru. You can date whoever you want and still work here.”

I’ve never been more embarrassed, I swear. I felt like the biggest dumbass in the entire world, yet, I couldn’t have been happier. I could have both, and I did have both. I still do to this day, in fact. I’ve moved up in the company since my dad retired, and after dating a couple years, Hajime and I got engaged. A year later, we got married and now both have ownership of Blue Castle Moving Company.

So, I mean, yeah: I guess maybe I know a little bit about doing dumbass shit in the name of love. “Fine.” I sigh into the phone. “I’d still like to fire him.”

“No you wouldn’t.” Hajime says with certainty. “He’s a good fit for the company. And Hinata.”

I hate it, but he’s right. Tobio is never late, never overspends on the company card, never asks for anything, never messes up on the job. He’s so damn reliable, it’s ridiculous. For years, I seriously considered formally naming his truck as his partner; it’s all he needs to get by! It wasn’t until Hajime told me, off the clock, that Tobio was acting weird. He wasn’t as early for work, his mind wasn’t on work, he wasn’t so insistent on working; for the first time, Tobio wasn’t obsessed with work! It shocked me, really. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I brought him in for a chat. It didn’t take long for him to spill the beans: his heart belonged to Hinata Shouyou, not Blue Castle. Tobio may be a wet sock, but, I mean, a wet sock is better than no sock. And I’m the one who hired him, so I couldn’t be heartless. We worked out an arrangement where he takes jobs closer to the office and has more time off; he’s even allowed to help Shouyou at his place of work when necessary as long as they use the recycle shop van and it doesn’t interfere with his assignments. The two of them work perfectly together, and it’s horribly obvious that that carries over outside of their careers. Tobio has a permanent place of residence now, and someone who waits for him to come home every night. I know how it felt when I found the person who makes me feel whole, and I was willing to do anything to be with him; Shouyou and Tobio are simply following their hearts how they know how, and I can’t punish them for that. “Stop making sense.” I grumble. “I still need them to know that stealing a truck isn’t okay.”

Hajime laughs. “Fair enough. I gotta get back to work, though, angel. Anything else you need from me?”

“Just for you to be ready to go as soon as you’re done.”

“Miss me already?”

“I’m hanging up now.”

He laughs again before we say goodbye. Hajime is rarely in a bad mood, and when that good energy rubs off on me, it makes life better.

Tobio’s truck finally pulls into the lot, creeping over to the space he abandoned without permission. I can see him in the driver’s seat, a redhead in the passenger side. It looks like they’re arguing, arms flailing, mouths jabbering; they’re probably having a great time. As soon as the truck is parked, I step in front of it, arms crossed. Shouyou reaches me first, grinning like he’s proud of what’s gone on. “Hey, Oikawa!” He gestures behind him at Tobio. “I know we took a minute to get here, but we had to get something for you.”

Tobio pulls a grocery bag from behind his back, handing it towards me. “For you.”

“What?” I take it from him, peeking inside: so much milk bread! I’d like to rejoice, but I just shoot them a skeptical look. “Why?”

Shouyou looks to Tobio, gently nudging him. Tobio blinks. “Right. Um, I was just really excited to take him to this going out of business sale and thought the van wouldn’t hold as much, so we took the truck. Without permission.”

“Right!” Shouyou nods. “So, sorry, but…”

Ugh, what now? “What?” I sigh.

“Can we still use the truck?” Shouyou grins. “Just for today!”

“I promise.” Tobio nods. “I’ll bring it back before closing, clean and tank filled.”

Again, I sigh. Okay: these idiots drove off with a truck that’s only registered for official use for Tobio. They did this without me, or Koushi, knowing what they were up to, and went completely off the grid. They filled it with random junk and, apparently, aren’t done with it yet. Oh, and let’s not forget: they gave my office number to random people without my permission! They can’t think this is acceptable, even if I don’t throttle them. “First, tell me where you’re taking the truck. At least the city, alright?” I demand. They nod, excited. “Second, keep it in one piece. I swear, if you damage my truck, you’ll be paying for it out of pocket at some other job.” I still have their attention. “Third.” I roll my eyes. “No more giving my number out to strangers. If you want your own business cards, I’ll order some for you, but no more giving my office line out.” I’m amazed this has to be said out loud. “And fourth, and last.” I hang my head, exhausted by this day. “Do not be late.”

The two of them cheer, bright eyed and grinning. “Thank you, Oikawa!” Shouyou shakes my hand.

“I promise, we'll do all of that!” Tobio nods. “I’ll message you and keep the truck safe.”

I start to walk away, waving them off. “You better. Don’t make me regret this, Tobio-chan!” I sing as I watch them go. They both wave at me from the cab, taking off with my consent this time. My office is finally quiet, no annoyances or nagging tasks at hand. I sink into my chair and kick my feet up on the desk, setting my bag of treats next to them. It won’t be long before Hajime comes back, but he’s still not here. I think I have time for one milk bread. While eating, I let myself daydream more about this weekend. Even if it isn’t a bunch of crazy sex or being spoiled, just being away with Hajime is a win. One time, I told some of my coworkers that I knew my husband was the one when we could be doing nothing and be happy. That’s still true for me, true for my husband, but I think it's true for someone else, too: it’s true for Tobio. He’s doing absolutely nothing interesting with his bboyfriend and they’re happier than ever. I smirk, licking my fingers clean. “About time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you know my fics, you know there’s a reason for the Oikawa POV.. .my next HQ fic is Iwaoi, so I needed the practice hahha (If you follow me on We ♡ It, you actually get a glimpse at what's next for my writing based on my collections, BTW, and know the AU it'll be) Thanks to all who took the time to read this! I appreciate it greatly :D All the love and maybe I’ll see you for my next work~


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